


Of Queens, Lakes, Dragons and Knights - II

by The20sBard



Series: Let Merlin Be Happy 2020 [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: BAMF Gwen (Merlin), BAMF Merlin (Merlin), BAMF Morgana (Merlin), Dragons, Druids, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Good Morgana (Merlin), Gwen as the badass angel she is, Happy Ending, Including that of a cloud, Mentions of Psychological Trauma, Merlin takes on various forms, Modern Era, Morgana and Arthur are siblings TM, Multi, Non-consensual mind control, Not Beta Read, Not without a fair amount of Angst before though, POV Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), POV Gwen (Merlin), POV Merlin (Merlin), POV Morgana (Merlin), POV Multiple, The Priests of Catha, magic is legal, we die like sooo many BBC Merlin characters do
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:48:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 72,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27419803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The20sBard/pseuds/The20sBard
Summary: After centuries of waiting, Arthur returns.In theory, it was all very simple: They solve whatever the situation that brought him back was, and live peacefully forever after. But life, even after centuries of experience, is not that straightforward. Arthur is the not the only one whom Avalon resurrects. And the much more worrying situation: How is the problem warranting the rise of the Once and Future King so hard to find?In a tangle of twisted pasts, dark mysteries, old friendships and some new ones, will everyone finally bring their great Destinies to a close?Note: This is sequel of the 1st Part of this series- 'Of Queens, Lakes, Dragons and Knights'- and I would recommend reading that first. However, this can be read as an independent work as well.
Relationships: Aithusa & Gwen (Merlin), Aithusa & Merlin (Merlin), Freya/Merlin (Merlin), Gaius & Merlin (Merlin), Gwaine & Merlin (Merlin), Gwen & Merlin (Merlin), Gwen & Morgana (Merlin), Knights of the Round Table & Merlin (Merlin), Lancelot & Merlin (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin & Morgana (Merlin), Morgana & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Morgana & Morgause (Merlin), Percival/gwaine
Series: Let Merlin Be Happy 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1986505
Comments: 17
Kudos: 47





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ta-da! 
> 
> So here is the promised Part 2 (I know I'm one day late, apologies). As mentioned in the summary, to people reading this without reading the prequel, I'd recommend reading the first part as well for better context. But It'll make sense even if you don't, so go ahead if you please!!
> 
> Hope you enjoy :)

Aging was always a pain, literally. Every joint seemed to creak and ache, and it always made him grumpy. Thank the heavens, this was his last day as Dragoon. Or Merlin Emerson, as it said on his not-very-legally-obtained ID. Today was the day the old man ‘retired to his country house’, and his young grandson took over his cottage. Some of his elderly acquaintances may note that he was startlingly similar to his ‘grandfather's’ younger days, but that never amounted to much. 

Merlin approached his little cottage, situated a little way down the road from The Lake. As he stepped in, the white beard and hair shrank and wrinkles smoothed over. The years wore off his person as he got busy, putting on the kettle, arranging the bunch of fresh flowers he’d picked a little while ago in the vase. They were purple today. And on the shelves above them were the most mundane of his vast collection of books, consisting of a surprising amount of ones on Arthurian legend. Some of it was really infuriating, like Leon’s total absence, the bunch of knights he’d never even heard of, the loss of Gwen’s true heritage (the number of weird ways to spell her name was endless fun, though) and so on. But It rarely failed to make him laugh, flipping through them and imagining Arthur reading all this. That is, if he even  _ knew _ English on getting resurrected. One of Merlin’s greatest fears was having Arthur panic in Anglo-Saxon at the sight of a car. 

The shrill ringing of the alarm pulled him out of the semi-amused, semi-wary pondering, and Merlin sighed. Don’t get it wrong, Merlin did love the job of an Archivist/linguist (he’d done it a few times before) but everyone had their lazy days. Getting this done now would only make his first day easier though, and even after thousands of first days, being prepared only made them easier. Plus, he could laze about tomorrow, maybe even have some time with Freya. 

Thus motivated, Merlin dragged himself to the study lined with shelves crammed with more books and knick-knacks from all over the world, and from many time periods – his real library. A few shelves were also laden with an array of vials and bottles, some which he'd preserved from Gaius’ original stash. This cottage had been here nearly as long as him, and though he’d periodically spent long periods away traveling and learning and generally living like a nomad, this was home. Let it suffice to say, the list of owners of the cottage was a long list of Emersons. 

Merlin flipped open his laptop and set to work. When he finally looked up from it, It was well beyond 10pm; no wonder his stomach was making whale noises. A sandwich was definitely called for. 

***********

The sunlight streaming through the windows was way too bright for the first thing in the morning. Merlin sat up and felt the crick in his neck as he blinked the glare away. He’d fallen asleep on the couch again, and decided immediately this was the last time, because a stiff neck was a terrible affliction, magic or not.  After a brief bout of panicking that he was late on his first day, Merlin realised it was Sunday. He slipped out, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. A few splashes of cold water and coffee would bring him fully back to the land of the living again. 

Halfway to the bathroom, Merlin froze as his magic tingled in the tips of his fingers, thrumming excitedly. All the bleariness flew away in a single second.This wasn’t something he’d felt in years, but the surge of Old Magic that followed was unmistakable.

Avalon.

Vanishing into nothingness for a brief instant, Merlin was on the grassy banks of the Lake the very next moment. Everything seemed extraordinarily still, not a movement was to be seen in the water or the trees. His eyes flew immediately to the road he walked down just hours ago. Nothing except the occasional car cruising by. Merlin looked the other way, along the long green shoreline. There wasn’t anything at-

What was _ that? _

A bundle of grey and red lay where the water met the land. Cautiously, a spell on the tip of his tongue, Merlin moved towards it. It suddenly stirred, and the grey gleamed silver in the light. He went still for a second. Heart picking up pace with his feet, he rushed towards the figure on the bank. 

It was unmistakable. The chainmail, red cloak and sword. 

Merlin reached Arthur just as he scrambled to his feet, looking at Merlin in bewilderment. 

“ _ Mer _ lin?” 

Strange as it was, despite knowing from experience that he had a magically extra-enhanced memory, Merlin had always had the fear that he'd forget how his friends looked, how Arthur looked. That the image in his mind had gotten somehow warped over the years. Merlin stared. Just stared and stared at the dishevelled blonde hair and the wary look and the totally familiar features with relief and shock and joy and- and whatever the hell it was that made one feel like their insides were spaghetti and heart a billion times bigger. 

“You’re back.” He could barely believe the words even as they left his mouth.

Arthur broke into a wide grin, and Merlin’s poor heart suffered another blow as he lunged forward and wrapped him in a huge hug. Merlin laughed into it and held back, clinging to that stupid red cloak like he’d vanish if he let go. Arthur pulled back, and held Merlin at an arm’s length by his shoulders as he examined him head to toe. “What are you _ wearing _ ? And what happened to your hair!?” 

He was back  _ and  _ he spoke English!

Merlin beamed back. “A lot has changed..... You’ve been gone for quite a while.” 

Arthur’s smile slipped a little. “How long?”

_ Oh, Arthur… _

"Tell me." he insisted, the smile fading slowly when Merlin didn't reply for a few long seconds. 

Merlin said softly, “Fifteen hundred years.”

Arthur stared, before exhaling deeply. “That’s...longer than I’d anticipated. I just......” 

“Hey, it's okay. We’ll talk afterwards, let’s get you to my place first.” Arthur nodded distractedly. He looked so  _ lost, _ and it was heartbreaking. As Merlin led him towards the path to the cottage, a truck roared by on the road and Arthur immediately tensed and reached for Excalibur. 

“Arthur.” Merlin put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s just a truck, no worries.” 

“A what?” 

Avalon had apparently not blessed him with miraculous knowledge of the modern world except the language. “It's....a mode of transportation. Like we used to have horse carts and carriages?”

“Oh. It's....pretty large.”

Leading on, Merlin smiled. “There are all sorts of vehicles, of all shapes and sizes and colours.” Merlin felt he was floating in the air. He was talking to Arthur. _ Arthur _ . After centuries. This didn’t feel real at all.

They walked back through the woods in silence and Merlin couldn’t look away from him. It almost felt like a dream or illusion that would vanish with the blink of an eye. Arthur seemed -understandably- lost in thought.  But even through the giddy joy, a pang of worry poked and prodded. Kilgharrah had said he would return when Albion needed him the most. And he hadn’t come back anytime throughout numerous Wars and Plagues and other uncountable horrors. What was it that made him come back now? A chill crept down Merlin’s spine. What could be worse than that?

Unable to shake off the premonition, Merlin walked in silence. There was stuff they had to deal with before any other crisis erupted around them.

***********

Merlin opened the door of the cottage with a flourish, and led Arthur down the small hallway. Arthur paused at the end of it, taking in the living room. His eyes lit up as he smiled at the Pendragon crest on the wall above the mantelpiece. “You kept it.”

“And some other things. Some of Gaius’ old books, rare ingredients, so on.”

Arthur wandered over to the shelves in the room, running a finger across the array of books. “You read a great deal more than you used to.”

Merlin fought back a giggle as Arthur’s eyes passed unrecognized over a copy of the Idylls of the King; now was  _ not _ the time. “Well, it wasn’t like I had the time to read, I was run ragged between you and Gaius and saving your life everyday.” Arthur suddenly looked quite guilty, and Merlin scrambled for a change of topic. “By the way, do you want to change? Take a shower maybe?”

“A what?”

“A bath, I mean.” Merlin shook his head. Arthur considered for a moment before deciding. “I’m good, I’ll just take off the chainmail...” Merlin stepped forward and helped him off it. Arthur looked a bit baffled, and then smiled again. “The most powerful sorcerer in the world, and you still help me with my chainmail?”

Without pause, Merlin replied, “It would be a pain watching you get tangled in it, trying to get it off.”

“I can take off my  _ chainmail _ just fine. I know the basics of dressing, Merlin.”

Merlin huffed. “You know, Gaius told me about the time he tried to dress you and you both tore up Gwen’s favourite nightgown.”

“That was hardly my fault! Besides, none of it would have happened if you weren’t off at the tavern all the time.”

Merlin bit his lip. Arthur paused for a moment before deflating like a balloon. “You weren’t in the tavern were you?”

“No. I only ever went along with you and the knights, or when I had to haul back Gwaine occasionally. It was just Gaius’ favourite excuse.” Merlin grumbled as he headed to the kitchen. Opening the cupboard, Merlin debated whether to start Arthur off with tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. Arthur had a decidedly sweet tooth, and Merlin just knew it in his bones he would love chocolate. 

Arthur’s words drew him back into conversation. “You were off saving me, or Camelot all those times, weren’t you.” Merlin looked back at him, unsure of how to respond. Arthur’s face showed no anger or trepidation, but he looked at Merlin as though seeing him for the first time. It was.....weird. Merlin turned back to the chocolate.

“I’ll be just a minute,” Merlin told him, as he poured the chocolate into mugs before heading into the living room once more, only to the sight of Arthur curiously poking a finger at an electrical socket.

“No! Arthur!” He yelled out in panic. Arthur jumped at the sudden cry, and blinked. “You’ll shock yourself to death. Just....sit.” Merlin waved to the couch and Arthur blinked again before obediently taking a seat. He must be really frazzled by all the new stuff to listen without protest. 

“You can’t go about touching everything. It’s not safe. I’ll explain it all to you, okay?” Arthur nodded, and reached for his mug. Merlin watched in anticipation as he eyed it’s contents suspiciously. “What’s this?”

“It's called ‘chocolate.’ Go on, try it.”. 

Arthur blew at it, and then took a tentative sip. Merlin smiled smugly as his eyes widened. “This is........ I have to admit, this is quite nice." Then, slightly warily, "Is it Magic?”

Merlin laughed. “No, no magic, it’s just that awesome.” Soon enough, they finished the drink, and Merlin grew a little more nervous with every passing moment. He knew the moment (more like hours) of reckoning was close, but he was terrified of what would happen. Maybe he could delay it for a little while yet.

“What happened, Arthur? In Avalon?”

His face contorted into something between a grimace and a smile. “Well....I met someone. Someone you know, actually...Freya.” Huh. Freya never told him anything of her job or Avalon, because no one living was supposed to know of the matters of the Other Worlds. That’s just how it was. 

Merlin nodded. “Yeah.....we keep in touch.” Understatement of the century. 

Arthur smiled. “It’s good to know you had someone all this while. Well, I asked her who she was. Insisted on knowing, really. And she told me.” He paused, and added after a moment “ I know it doesn’t help any now, but.......I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t know any better, Arthur.” Merlin hated it when Arthur sounded so.....so  _ small. _ Defeated. 

“But I should have.” He looked down, refusing to meet Merlin’s gaze. Merlin took a deep, shuddering breath before sitting a little straighter. 

“Arthur. There’s something I have to tell you. A lot of things, really. Years worth of things.”

That drew his attention once more, and Merlin must’ve looked more nervous than he thought, because Arthur said, “You don’t have to do it right now, if you don't want to.” 

Merlin shook his head. "I have to." If he lost his nerve now, Gods know when he would find it again. 

*********

They sat in silence for a long, long while. Merlin’s mind was a mess, but a deep seated relief took precedence. It was  _ done _ , for better or for worse. Arthur finally knew everything, and whatever happened afterwards wasn’t up to Merlin. He could only hope for a reaction as accepting as Gwen’s, or any of the others, but....

He was startled when Arthur broke the silence. “And what happened after my....well, death?”

His voice was carefully even, and just went further towards unsettling him. He’d rarely been unable to gauge Arthur. Nevertheless, he answered.“Gwen ruled Camelot, for three whole decades. Within the first year, Magic was legalised.”

Arthur smiled, and it was part wistful and part proud. “Then she had the courage to do what I couldn’t.” Swallowing audibly, he steel himself before asking, “And who.... Who was her King?” Despite the bravado on his face, Merlin knew him too well to not recognize the pain behind it. 

“No one, after you. She wore the crown alone.”

The relief and astonishment weren’t hidden in the least, and Arthur visibly floundered for a few seconds as Merlin watched with a wide grin. “How did she do it? With all those pompous asses who could barely even stand it when she became Queen!?”

Merlin shrugged. “It’s Gwen we’re talking about. She managed everything, all by herself. If your rule heralded Camelot’s Golden Age, she made it reality. “

Arthur smiled softly. “I’m glad.” He sighed, and sadness darkened his eyes. Loss. Merlin had experienced it enough times to recognise it. 

“And what of you, Merlin? What did you do?”

Merlin fidgeted with the hem of his tee nervously. “I was part of the Round Table. I acted as a liaison between various groups; the Druids, other peoples with magic. We worked mainly on integrating magic into society once more. Lots of stuff. It was a time of great peace and prosperity and knowledge, you know, between Gwen, and Mithian, and Queen Annis.”

Arthur listened carefully, with that slight frown he always had when fully focused on something. “And after that?”

“Well.....a couple centuries later, things changed. There were wars, and kingdoms changed and grew and collapsed. I left Camelot pretty soon after Gwen and the others passed on; no one else was left for me there. Albion flourished for a couple centuries, but change was inevitable. I traveled to all sorts of places. Taught at times, learnt at others. No one except the druids knew who I truly was, but I kept silent about it most of the time.”

“What about now? Do you still have to hide your magic?”

“Not at all. Magic is....well, it's much better. Of course, there is always some prejudice, always will be, but it's not illegal or frowned upon. It’s part of School curriculum, even the kids born without magic learn about it.” 

“Things have definitely improved then.” Arthur placed a hand on his shoulder, and Merlin looked back up at him. He nodded and tightened his grip reassuringly. “I’m happy for you, Merlin.” He swallowed, as though bracing himself for something, and said “And I’m sorry.”

“Arthur, no-”

“Merlin, stop. I- I  _ have  _ to say this.” Merlin sighed and waited. Arthur looked so devastatingly upset and guilty as he spoke that it was painful. “For years you suffered through all this, all by yourself. I should’ve seen it. I should’ve known. I didn’t earn the loyalty you showed to me.” His voice was strained, and tears blurred his vision.  “We all make mistakes. Some much greater than others. But what matters is that we learn from them.” 

Merlin smiled as the warmth spread all through him, and the tension in his frame eased away. For the second time that day, Arthur surprised him with a hug. He laughed as he hugged back. “Resurrection has turned you into a real hugger.”

He pulled back with a scoff. “Not in the least. It’s not like I’ve never hugged you before, is it?”

“The time I had to carry you to Avalon doesn't count, you were dying. So nope.”

“Well, I distinctly remember doing so when I found you in the forests, that time when you were wounded.” Arthur scrunched up his nose. “ I smelt like bog the entire day!” 

“I don’t......wait. That’s when I was enchanted to assassinate you. I don’t remember anything.”

“Ah.” Arthur sighed. “I can hardly believe we’re actually having this conversation.” Merlin laughed again.  _ Me neither. _

He glanced at the clock. “Oh, shit! It's noon already. I haven’t had breakfast, but _you_ haven't eaten in fifteen hundred years. I’ll whip up something.” As he headed to the kitchen, Arthur trailed after him. He watched as Merlin put a pot of water to boil and rummaged for the packet of spaghetti he knew was somewhere in here. Arthur ogled the blue flame of the stove, and shook his head dejectedly. “I’m never getting used to all this.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This thing's gonna move pretty fast, because there is a LOT of plot. Hope you enjoy (and that there won't bee too many dumb plotholes)! :)

An hour later found them lounging on the couch, empty plates on coffee table and Arthur scowling at the TV screen. He’d been introduced to the lights, plumbing and Merlin’s smartphone. Maybe adding anything else to the list so soon wasn’t the best idea.

Merlin switched it off again with a flick of his hand. He hadn’t been sure how Arthur might react to magic, but it seemed to fascinate and make him wary in equal measure. When he instinctively used it to stop a glass from falling, Arthur blinked, and incredulously noted that his eyes changed colour. Merlin could tell he was still getting used to it, and the fact that it didn’t make him distant again was gratifying. 

“How is it  _ not magic _ ?” Arthur gestured incredulously at the screen, dragging Merlin out of his thoughts. “Science can’t possibly do this. It’s little people in there!”

“They aren’t actual people, you know......it's recorded on -” he broke off at Arthur’s look of fresh bewilderment. “Okay, we’ve done more than enough for today...your brain’s going to melt.”

Arthur sighed and slumped back. “What are we supposed to do, Merlin?”

“Get you used to the 21st century, for one.”

Arthur fixed him with a stern look. “Not that. I know there’s a reason I came back now, of all times, and I have to know what it is.” 

Merlin picked at a spot on the couch _.  _ “I have no idea what’s going on. We’ll need to speak to the Druids...........Freya might have something too. It’s been a while since we last spoke. She’s been busy, I guess. I could also-”

Everything seemed to screech to a halt around Merlin, as a now-familiar tingle started in his fingers. His magic writhed once more just as it had a few hours ago, and there was a loud buzzing in his ears. 

“Merlin! What’s wrong?”

Arthur’s voice cut through the haze, and Merlin jerked into action. “Something’s happening.” He jumped up as Arthur automatically reached for Excalibur which had been propped up against the wall.

“What is it?” he asked as he followed Merlin, rushing out the door once more. They didn’t have the time to introduce Arthur to winnowing, and Merlin really didn’t want to leave him alone even for a moment. 

“I don’t know,” Merlin grit out. There had already been enough excitement today to last him an entire decade, and now there was more. His magic was suddenly restless, threatening to burst forth from his fingertips at any moment. Arthur, to his credit, didn’t enquire any more. Despite just returning from the dead he was still faster, much to Merlin’s chagrin. 

They burst out through the trees, and Arthur skidded to a sudden halt before him. Merlin did the same, just managing to avoid head-on collision. “What-”

He got the answer before even asking properly. Looking over Arthur’s shoulder, in the same spot he’d turned up just a while ago, Merlin saw a whole bunch of people. People he recognized even from so far away, even after centuries. Was it shock, delight, or bewilderment that knocked the breath out of him? Who knew anymore. This was absolutely not what he’d expected, and he was paralysed by the sight till they began to move.

Arthur dashed forward, and Merlin stumbled after him. 

Arthur went onto his knees, reaching for the person closest to them: Gwen. Merlin stared, struck dumb as the others sat up and blinked about in confusion, torn between rushing forward to every single one of them first. They were all there; Gwen, Gaius, Gwaine, Percival, Leon, Lancelot, Elyan. 

In the cacophony of exclamations followed, Merlin wasn’t quite sure if he was smiling or laughing or crying or just staring. Functioning more-or-less on autopilot, he reached forward and helped Gaius to his feet. The old man looked equal parts delighted and bewildered as he embraced Merlin tightly. “Merlin, my boy!”

He pulled back, probably about to ask questions (most of which would surely go right over Merlin’s head given his current state), but was interrupted loudly as Gwaine, Percival and Leon mobbed him all at once. 

Gwaine laughed, ruffling his hair. “Merlin! What did you do this time?” Merlin sputtered gibberish, at a loss of words as Percival thumped him too hard (as usual) on the back and Leon smiled delightedly. He got herded by the crowd towards where Gwen, Arthur and Elyan stood. Gwen turned from Elyan to Merlin, and nearly squealed as she flung herself onto him. 

“Can’t...breathe...” He patted her on the back to grab her attention, and she loosened her grip. “What’s happening?”

Merlin shook his head, taking in the fact that he was talking to Gwen.  _ Gwen.  _ “No idea.”

Glancing at Arthur, who was now swamped by the knights and greeting each other with their usual punches and pats, she asked, “How long has he been back?”

“Just a few hours. And then you lot showed up!” 

Gwen beamed and turned to greet the others herself. They were her knights as much as they were Arthur’s; they had served and fought side by side with both of them. 

Merlin stepped back, and noticed a lone figure, standing apart from the rest of and watching quietly. As Merlin approached him, Lance smiled. “So. You finally told them all.”

“How did you know?”

“I could hear Gwaine call you ‘magic fingers’ all the way over here.”

Merlin snorted. “I don’t know how  _ that  _ caught on, of all things.” Lance laughed, and Merlin felt tears blur his vision as he embraced the man. This....was a lot. Even for Merlin. He finally let go and looked back towards the rest of them, busy with the reunions, before turning to Lance once more. His expression must’ve said enough, because Lance looked away and quietly muttered, “I don’t think me being there will do any good.”

Merlin wished he could say otherwise, but what had happened could never be changed. Lance obviously remembered what his shade had done under Morgana’s orders, and now everyone here knew that it wasn’t him either. But Merlin knew things would get tense; it was inevitable. Sighing, he stood with him as the others caught up. 

Poor Elyan seemed the most confused of them all. The chatter slowed as Merlin managed to herd them towards his place. They all crowded into the living room, spreading out on the couch, armchairs, beanbag and the floor. “No one touch anything, Arthur already nearly killed himself just a little while ago.” That drew a few laughs, and an outraged ‘ _ Mer _ lin!’.

It took a while as Merlin got them all some water and then, as carefully as he could, explained their current situation. That effectively made everyone go so quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Merlin let it sink in, and the more practical problems rose to mind. They couldn’t all roam around in the same robes or chainmail they wore now. They would probably get hungry pretty soon. Also, he’d have to conjure up more space for them all to sleep, and conjuring stuff from nowhere was difficult even for him. 

It must’ve shown on his face, because Gwaine prodded his shoulder from the armchair he had squished himself into with Percival. “What’s the matter?”

Merlin shook his head, unlocking his phone and tapping away. Ordering in would solve at least one issue. He glanced up to see everyone staring, eyeing his phone curiously. This was going to be a  _ very _ interesting day. 

**********

Arthur had no intentions of leaving Gwen’s side ever. He hadn’t even had the time for his loss to sink in properly before, well, everyone returned.  _ She _ returned. Of course, he still missed his home and this new age was strange, to say the least (tiny people inside a box was  _ not science,  _ whatever Merlin claimed). But the familiar faces, his best men and oldest friends were with him. I sounded like a weird thing to say, considering the course of his existence, but Arthur felt lucky.

“So we basically slept for more than a thousand years.” Gwen muttered beside him, and Arthur huffed a laugh. “Gwaine must be delighted.”

“Elyan too.”

“How’s he taking the news about Magic and Merlin and all that?”

“He’s......managing. I think.” She looked back over her shoulder, to where Elyan was rolling his eyes while Gwaine chatted unbothered (probably how much he missed the tavern). “He’d good at taking things in stride.” Gwen added with a fond smile. The same smile, unchanged even though she had lived decades longer than him or Elyan or Morgana. A long life seemed to have made her wiser and kinder, which Arthur had thought was impossible.

He took her hand, and she held on firmly, shuffling closer into his side. Arthur’s heart sank a little at the flicker of sadness that crossed her face. She was strong, definitely more so than him. Would he have survived even a year, let alone over three decades, without Guinevere?

That train of thought stopped abruptly as someone approached them: Lancelot, determined, with an increasingly awkward looking Merlin trailing along. Gwen noticed as well, and sat up straighter beside him. Something stabbed at Arthur’s heart. Was it anger? Or something more bitter? It didn’t make him feel any better, because he now knew that whatever had passed, it was not this man’s fault. It wasn’t great to feel badly about a man who had died  _ twice _ tragically.

Their greeting had been...polite. Of course, Arthur was partly glad that the most noble and efficient of the knights was back. Lancelot had been a good friend as well as a knight, in fact. But some things were hard to forget. Guinevere had put on a determinedly straight face and greeted him kindly enough, but she hadn’t embraced him like she did the others. This was too awkward a situation for all of them.

“We need to talk.” Lancelot said firmly, without any preamble whatsoever. Gwen looked as uncertain as he felt, but nodded. “Of course.”

Nobody paused in their conversation (or browsing the bookshelves already, in Gaius’ case) as Merlin lead them to a quiet room, lined with shelves of books, a desk with a chair (Arthur decided not to ask what the rectangular thing on the table was) and the comfortable, musty smell of old pages.

The door shut, and three pairs of tentatively expectant eyes turned to Lancelot. He looked strange, like.......Arthur didn’t get it. Anticipating? Upset? Excited?

Lancelot said, “There is something you should know. About the.....well...”

_ Oh _ . A prick of sudden annoyance prodded him, that Lancelot would bring this up, digging up the past. But the more rational part of him kept the ire in check; Lancelot must only mean well. “It’s- We know it was not actually you, but a shade sent by Morgana.” 

Gwen cleared her throat. “Nothing that happened was your fault, Lancelot.” She kept her eyes trained on the ground, and Arthur knew she was blaming herself. He may tell her a thousand times that it didn't matter anymore, and she would still not be at peace with herself for it. Arthur hated this, hated everything to do with it. He hated Lancelot for talking about it.

“I know  _ that _ ,” the knight muttered, waving it away casually. Arthur blinked. Lancelot went on, “This isn’t about  _ me _ , it-” He paused a moment, then asked Gwen, “Do you remember the bracelet that shade-me gave you, the engagement present?”

A  _ Bracelet _ ? What the hell was going on? Arthur nearly snapped, but caught Merlin’s eye. He shook his head subtly, and Arthur bit his tongue. 

Gwen frowned, either confused or recollecting, and nodded. “Yes.”

“Morgana enchanted it. To manipulate you and end the marriage before it could happen. To make sure you never became Queen.”

Nobody spoke.

Something very very sickening filled Arthur's chest and then every other part till he wasn’t sure how he still stood upright. What had he  _ done _ ?

Merlin’s question cut through the stunned quiet of the room. “How was it undone?”

“I..threw it away. Afterwards, in the dungeons I think. I couldn’t stand it.” Gwen muttered.

Arthur barely registered the silence. They just stared at one another, till Lancelot tactfully mumbled something about the kitchen and left, dragging an equally distraught looking Merlin with him. Gwen looked up, but Arthur couldn’t hold her gaze for more than a second. “It....it wasn’t me.” she muttered, as though letting the words sink in.

Arthur swallowed against the lump in his throat. He wanted to say sorry, but it was so woefully inadequate. No words could ever be enough. But he tried anyway.

“I failed you. In the worst possible way. I failed to trust you and listen to you when it mattered the most.” There was never a moment he hadn’t cursed himself for banishing Guinevere, but this...... he should have  _ known _ . How had he let anger and heartbreak cloud his judgement this badly? The words tumbled out, and he couldn’t stop even if he wanted to. “Gods, I  _ banished _ you! I let my anger get the better of me, Guinevere. I ..... cannot even  _ ask _ you to forgive me. Th-”

“Arthur.” She cut him off with a shake of her head. Stepping closer and tilted her head to catch his eye, and he knew she would stubbornly refuse to say a thing till she did. With a shuddering breath, Arthur finally gave in and looked up.

She was smiling.

“You made a mistake. We all made mistakes. I knew what was happening was unnatural, and I still didn’t think of it. Yes, maybe if you had waited to calm down before making your judgement, things would have been different. I would wager anything that even as we speak, Merlin’s out there, blaming himself for not having figured it out and avoided all the unpleasantness.” She huffed, and beamed at him. “But it’s over. Done. A weight has been lifted from our hearts.”

She pulled him down into a hug, and Arthur held her close. “I’m sorry, love.” He muttered, and received a muffled “I know.” against his shoulder. As he basked in the familiarity of the embrace, she mumbled with a happy sigh, “Hugging is so much easier when one isn’t nearly seventy years old with achy joints.”

Arthur let her words lighten the air. He smiled, trying to imagine what she must have looked like as an old dame.

“You’re trying to imagine what I must have looked like as an old dame, aren’t you.”

“You know me too well.” Arthur leaned back and received a flick to the nose. “This time, if we’re lucky enough, we’ll get old and gray and achy together.”

“Oh, no.” Her eyes widened in mock horror. “You’ll get worse as an old man!”

“Guinevere!”

“I’ll have to hunt down your spectacles for you because you’ll be blind without them. And your old-man walking stick. And-”

He pressed a finger to her lips, and she paused, happiness shining through her smile and her eyes. Arthur told her, “I promise to work on doing my things myself more often.”

The smile turned sly. “Will you be making me chicken for dinner again?”

“Gladly. But right now, I don’t think either of us can make anything in a modern kitchen without it ending in disaster.”

“Then we’ll learn together, this time.” She said with a shrug.

Arthur agreed wholeheartedly.

*********

_ Idiot!  _ “How did I miss it!? I should’ve known Morgana would have done something of the sorts.” Morgana and jewellery together were evidently Merlin's bane, first with Uther’s death by enchanted pendant and then this. Gwen would be taking it way better than Arthur, though; he was definitely wallowing in guilt right this minute. 

Lance sighed a sigh of the long suffering. "Don't blame yourself. You may be the most powerful sorcerer ever, but you can't be held responsible for everything." He slung an arm around Merlin’s shoulder, and Merlin felt his frown give way a little.

"I guess." Merlin gave in and let himself be steered back to the center of the living area, to the couch and coffee table. Gaius had taken over an armchair, accompanied by a few books on current science and physics taken from Merlin's shelves. Was he even understanding anything or just reading for the heck of it?

As they sat down on the couch, Merlin propped his feet up onto the coffee table. Gaius looked up from the book, and shot him a pointed look.

"Oh, come on! This is my table, I'll put my legs up if I want to." Merlin definitely did not whine. Gaius just sighed, and turned back to his book, face a mask of disapproval. Merlin knew what he was trying, and much to his chagrin, it worked even after all these years.

"Alright, fine!" He put his feet down and curled up onto the couch as Gaius tried and failed at not looking smug. Merlin's gaze traveled to where Elyan, Percival and Gwaine (the latter two apparently joined at the hip henceforth) were engaged in a furious debate, probably over something absolutely dumb. Probably something food related.

Merlin was busy trying to explain the basic functions of his cellphone to Lance when Arthur and Gwen reappeared from inside the room. Gwen made a beeline for them, more or less glowing. She sat down and before he could even open his mouth, pointed a finger threateningly. “If you apologise, I will smack you without hesitation.”

“Alright, alright.” Merlin held hands up in surrender. She nodded slightly towards Arthur, who was frowning bemusedly as Gwaine waved his hands about while trying to make a point to Elyan, who had joined the debate. “Go talk to him. That way you’ll keep each other busy.” Merlin pulled a face at her, but still went over.

“Hey.”

Merlin settled down by his side, and received a good-humoured yet too hard elbow in the side. “Well Merlin, looks like you are going to have to do a lot of teaching these few days.” Arthur said, watching a very confused Leon peering at the microwave. Merlin sighed. “More like babysitting.”

Huffing a laugh, Arthur shook his head. Turning a little more serious, he went on, “Before this lot arrived, you were telling me about your plans, figuring out what was going on.”

Merlin nodded. Gaius had also asked him the same. They had to get ahead of whatever was going to happen, or maybe was already happening unbeknownst to them. Slacking off till it was right in their faces was the worst thing they could do. “Tomorrow, we go to the Druids. Their chief will grant us an audience, and we can try and talk it out. If there’s anything out of place, they are most likely to know.” Or Freya, who was inaccessible the past few days. Was it connected? A kernel or worry sprang in Merlin's chest. 

“Good. How far away is it?” Arthur asked. 

“Oh, just a couple hours by road. We’ll figure it out and decide the plan of action accordingly.”

Arthur suddenly smiled. “How much ever I hate saying this, I suppose you do know best.”

“Finally! I’ve been waiting for this since that time I stopped you from dying at the fangs of Valiant’s shield-snakes!”

Arthur sighed as he got to his feet, and held out a hand to help Merlin up. “I’m never hearing the end of this, am I? How do you even remember things from so long ago!?”

“Magic.”

Arthur rolled his eyes as Merlin beamed back triumphantly, when a knock sounded on the door. As he went to open the door, Arthur trailed along curiously. Merlin recognized the shock of blue hair and the grim smile immediately. “Meg! How’s classes going?”

“As well as I can hope, I got three papers to turn in by Monday.”

Merlin grimaced. “Hope you get through them in time.”

“Looks like, thanks to your impromptu mini-seminar the other day. It helped a lot.” They leaned forward and conspiratorially whispered , “There’s extra garlic bread in here, compliments of Mom.” and waved the bag.

“I swear, she will never give up on trying to fatten me up!”

“Oh, you know you love it. I put the bill on your tab, by the way, so- hey, who’s your friend?”

Merlin turned, fully expecting Arthur to be lurking behind him, onto to blink as he found Lance right behind him, smiling tentatively. 

“That’s Lance. We....were roommates in Uni, and he decided to pop by to catch up!" Merlin improvised, nudging Lance to stop looking confused and get with the program. He seemed to take the hint fairly well, thankfully. Meg raised her brows at Merlin. “You seem to be having quite the reunion, looking at how much food I had to haul here. Have fun, I’ll catch you later.” 

“Bye.” Merlin waved as they rode off. He turned to see Lance still standing by him, looking a little bewildered. “Who was that?”

“Meg. They help out in the eatery their parents run in town. I ordered our dinner from there, and they got it for us.” Merlin held up the bag. “Meg got roped in and helped out a few years ago when I had to deal with a mystery sickness among magical creatures, and they figured out who I was.”

“Is their hair always.....”

“Blue? Yeah.” Merlin laughed. “They dye it. People do that a bit these days.”

Lance considered that thoughtfully, helping bring the bags in. Merlin just opened the first box of soup before Percival and Gwen materialized at his side, like moths to a light. Swatting away a few greedy hands, it sort of reminded Merlin of keeping them fed when on hunts or other woodland adventures, but indoors and way more comfy.

**_CRASH!!_ **

“Gwaine broke your vase, Merlin!”

“I did  _ not _ !”

This was going to be a long day.

************

Merlin watched the tiny, luminescent blue birds as they fluttered noiselessly in the air above him, flying in the random patterns his fingers traced. With a sigh and a flick, they vanished and Merlin shifted on the couch. Coming back from the dead apparently took it out of you, because the others were sleeping despite just having woken from a centuries long nap. Merlin, however, was too restless to be exhausted even after adding three whole rooms to his cottage. It still looked tiny from the outside. Sort of like the Tardis. 

Giving up on sleep after hours of tossing and turning, he got to his feet and silently slipped out. The fresh air always calmed him. He walked into the woods without a destination in mind, but minutes later found himself at the bank, staring into the perfectly still waters. Not a sign of Freya. He may be a tad bit worried, but she’d vanished for important supernatural duties for months before. It would be nice to talk, though. Maybe he should just talk  _ at _ the lake. Or maybe....

Struck by the idea, he raised his eyes to the inky sky and roared into the night, calling out in dragonspeak. In seconds, the telltale booming of powerful wings sounded as a massive, white dragon appeared and landed at his side. Her great head lowered, and Merlin ran a palm over her head just the way she liked it, in their customary greeting. “Hey. That was fast, even for you.”

Folding her wings flat against her back, Aithusa made herself comfortable on the grass. “I was coming for you anyway, Merlin. I sensed what happened.” Her voice was booming yet gentle. She was a gentle creature and didn’t speak in riddles like Kilgarrah used to, much to Merlin’s relief. She had been much more direct with him whenever she had something to relay, and there wasn’t a day Merlin wasn’t thankful for it. 

There was a note of worry in her voice as she carried on. “There is something else as well.”

“Are you alright?” Merlin felt that anxiety surge up once again, stronger than ever. There wasn’t a lot that could frazzle Aithusa, so this couldn’t be good news.

“I’m fine. But two days ago, I sensed something. A portent of the future.” 

There had been a couple visions or prophecy-worthy calamities he had dealt with even after Arthur, but they never failed to set him on edge. Also, Aithusa didn’t speak this fancily till she was dead serious. He was definitely on edge now.

“What was it about?”

“It is not clear, but there is a great imbalance in nature even as we stand here now. A darkness that i’ve never sensed before. And it’s growing day by day. I’ve been flying for two days to warn you.”

“Could it be ...Avalon? It just resurrected eight people in a day. That’s got to take a toll.” That could also explain Freya’s absence. But darkness was the last thing the Lake’s magic felt like. 

“Though I cannot tell you the true reason, that is not it. Their return was meant to be, and didn’t cause any disruption.”

“I know Arthur was destined to return, but the others.........I have no idea why that happened.” What if their return was some sort of cosmic glitch? Some wicked mistake? What if he woke up tomorrow to find himself and Arthur all alone once more? The idea filled him with a wild panic.

Aithusa nudged him with a wing. “You are all bound together, through The Once and Future King. What is it that you all have in common, and no one else?” Merlin’s mind raced. He was bound to Arthur from their very birth, two sides of the same coin and whatnot, but the others ...........

A memory rose to the front of his mind, an image of the nine of them. A rag-tag group, tired, worn and yet determined. Seated around an old circular table, overgrown with moss and smelling of dust. “The round table in the Castle of the Ancient Kings........we all promised to stand with Arthur.” Aithusa tilted her head in agreement, and Merlin was baffled.

“But I didn’t do anything. There was no magic to bind us together or-”

“You were not the only one there tied to Magic. And magic comes in many forms we do not yet understand.”

“Then... Gaius?!” This was making less and less sense with every second.

Aithusa sighed, as though he were one of her dragonlings tripping over their own feet. “Not Gaius. I speak of Arthur Pendragon.”

Merlin blinked. “But ...... Arthur doesn't have magic. I’m sure he could do some if trained, but you know he wasn’t the most encouraging about it back then. Besides, this seems complicated."

Aithusa sighed. “Emrys, it would be the biggest understatement to say you  _ have  _ magic. You  _ are _ magic. A part of the very Source of it. Similarly, Arthur Pendragon was born of magic. He may not wield it or even know of it, but his very soul is Magic. It beats in his heart as it flows through your veins. The moment you talk of, at the Table, it was the making of him as a king, a model of his rule and that to follow. And what is a king without those loyal to him?"

Merlin gaped, speechless. He had never considered Arthur’s connection to Magic in such depth. A life formed of magic was unique and unparalleled, like the unicorns, or Dragons, even. Hm, Arthur might not like that a lot, being grouped with dragons and unicorns. 

“How do you _ know _ all this stuff?!” Merlin asked Aithusa. Her wings rustled against her back, much like a shrug. “It just is. I’m a creature born of Magic as well, so I suppose it's instinctive.” She butted her head against his side, making him smile despite the mess of ideas and thoughts battling for dominance in his brain. “Go sleep. You will need your wits around you for meeting the Druids tomorrow.”

“And how would you know that!? Another instinct?”

“No. Because I know you too well.” 

Had he really become so predictable? Well, most people probably were, after spending centuries together. “Alright, O Wise One. And rest. You could use it after all the flying. I’ll catch you up after the meeting.” Merlin rose a brow. “Or will your instincts tell you all that too?”

She snorted, warm breath ruffling his hair and misting in the cold night. “Goodbye.” A few beats of wings had her soaring away to her abode (Merlin had tried to figure out where it was many times, but she was  _ sneaky _ ). The turmoil of his mind hadn’t ceased, but abated a little bit. When he eventually flopped onto the couch again and shut his eyes, sleep came soon enough.

***********

Lisa was right at the back of the swarm filing out through the exit. She felt much the same as the other magic users around her : flushed with fervour and loyalty to the Cause, to their Leader. This was just their second meeting and yet, it all seemed so clear, so simple. Today the Leader had shown them a vision of the future that was theirs alone, none of the unworthy tainting it. 

Just as she strode through the doors, she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around. It was The Leader herself, smiling kindly. “I wish to speak to you. Come.” She indicated to the dias on which she sat while addressing them.  Lisa followed, of course. A thud rang through the cavern as the doors shut with a strange sense of finality, sending a shiver of trepidation through her bones. But The leader asked for  _ her _ , of all those she could have picked. The burning pride and determination pushed back the nervousness. She followed Her till they stood together facing one another at the foot of the dais. The Druid who attended to her stood to a side, face strangely vacant as usual. A pang of jealousy shot through Lisa.

“My Lady,” she bowed low. The Leader acknowledged it with a nod.

“What is your name, young one?”

“Lisa Diaz.”

“Lisa. What is your purpose here?”

“To serve you. And your Cause.”

“It is _ our  _ Cause. And you say you wish to serve it. Are you loyal enough?”

“I will give anything, do  _ anything _ to serve it. Nothing is above it.” Lisa hoped fervently that the words conveyed the depth of her devotion, her dedication. She seemed pleased by it. She circled Lisa, coming to a halt behind her. 

“Not even your life?” The words whispered into her ear, making her shudder against her will. It took some effort to nod, because the words wouldn’t leave her tongue. The Leader came to a stop in front of Lisa, and smiled. It didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Your sacrifice will be remembered.” 

Lisa felt cold terror wash over for barely a second before a searing pain overtook it, and then.....nothing. 

The Leader dusted off the ashes that remained on her gown. As the girl’s magic made its home inside her, her golden eyes turned into pools of inky black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)
> 
> Leave a Kudos or a Comment of you like :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lotta stuff going on in this one.

“Are you quite sure about this, Merlin?”

“Yes. You’ve asked me a hundred times in the last one hour. I know my limits, Gaius. I would never take on more than I can handle.”

Gaius raised one skeptical eyebrow while Lance and Gwen stifled smiles. 

Merlin threw his hands up in surrender. “Alright, whatever. I know this is powerful magic, but it's the easiest way to get from place to place with all nine of us. I’ve done it with bigger numbers, and I'm fairly accurate with it. Just trust me.”

The physician hardly seemed reassured, but gave in as Merlin stalked off to the living room, laden with an assortment of herbs and other ingredients he didn’t want to think too much about from the shelves of the study. Setting it down on the coffee table, he kneeled down and mixed them together in a large bowl while saying the necessary spells over it. Technically, he could do it with his powers alone, but winnowing with others could get very taxing and chaotic; someone losing a nose or a finger was the last thing they needed. 

He’s talked to Gwen and Arthur about it this morning, before anyone else (wisely not mentioning the fingers and noses bit). Arthur had looked a little wary at the prospect, but agreed. He’d gone a bit quiet since then, and Merlin was worried. Arthur shouldn’t have to use magic against his will, and if he needed time to come to terms with it, it was owed to him.

As the others gathered around the table, Merlin pulled Arthur away to the far corner by the kitchen. “Are you sure you can do this?” 

Arthur’s jaw clenched. “I will do what’s necessary, Merlin. You said it yourself, it’s the best way to get to the Druids.”

“It is. But........ You don’t have to. We could think of something else. I could drop them off and come back for you, we’ll get a cab- I mean, a car- and drive over.”

“It’ll delay us by two hours. But that’s not the point. I can and will come with everyone.” His features softened a bit as he said, “I have to learn to accept it, Merlin. And how can I, if I keep avoiding it?”

Merlin smiled. “Yeah. Alright.”

“Come on then.” Arthur strode back to their little group, face set with determination, and Merlin followed. Arthur was actively doing his best to accept Magic- not just Merlin, but Magic as a whole, and Merlin was….. kind of proud of him. 

He took his place at the table. “Okay. Everyone, listen closely. Hold on, and do not let go under any circumstances. If you get lost in between, it’ll be very very hard to track you down. Just grab onto me and- ” 

He barely had time to say any more before getting mobbed. Gaius, Lance, Percival and Leon had hijacked both his arms and shoulders. Gwen was in the front, hand tightly wrapped around his waist, and Elyan was trying to wiggle in on the other side while holding both Merlin and Gwen firmly. Gwaine and Arthur were squabbling over who got his back.

“I was first, Princess.”

“You could as well grab onto an ear!”

“Why don’t you do that, then?”

“Enough! No one’s grabbing my ears!” Merlin declared. They reluctantly stopped squabbling, and finally somehow wedged themselves passably. “This is ridiculous.” Arthur blustered, and Merlin agreed; if he remembered to stock up on ingredients on time, they wouldn't have to do it in one go. 

Shooting a death glare to the others (they were too entertained by this nonsense), Merlin said, “Shut your eyes.”

Focusing on their destination, Merlin uttered the last of the words, and they were swept away into the darkness.

Barely a second later, they were surrounded by bright sunlight. The air was fresh and bracing, with the familiar scent of various assorted magical herbs and plants mingling with other blossoms. His eyes fluttered open. They had reached the right place, and they all seemed to be intact for now. The others were still holding on tight, eyes screwed shut. 

“Can we open our eyes now?” Elyan asked. 

On receiving the assent, there was a collective sigh of relief and they all let go. Merlin swatted away the hand -predictably enough, Gwaine’s- from his ear as they blinked, taking in the surroundings. They were in the driveway of an old, large castle, part of a giant estate consisting mostly of woods. The large building of gray stone was totally mobbed by trees from all sides, and more of them lined the driveway too. 

“This is where the Druids live?” Gwaine asked, sounding a bit confused. After all, the last time they were alive, Druids lived mostly nomadically in the forests in camps. 

“Not exactly. This is like their.....Head Office. All areas have their own place for congregations and gatherings and stuff, but this is the main one. A lot of experts, researchers, stay here and work, students too. Seers are trained here. Most Druids actually live in the cities and towns and villages, like anyone else.”

They headed down the path to a seat of massive wooden doors, wide open onto a large hall. The front Hall was a large square space, with a high ceiling and the walls on either side of the entrance lined with various pictures, either of the distinguished Druids or some historical artifact or event, and notice boards crammed with posters and pamphlets. Opposite the main entrance was the reception desk, with two large wooden staircases on either side leading to the upper floors. A young man was seated behind the desk, and politely greeted Merlin as he approached. 

“Good morning. I was wondering if I could meet the Chief?”

“Let’s see....your name please?”

“Uh, Merlin. Merlin Emerson.”

“Thank you...Let me direct you to the Chief’s PA, and you can schedule an appointment for next-”

“Oh, no, I was actually hoping to meet her right now. It’s a bit urgent.”

The man smiled politely, evidently not convinced. “That isn’t possible, I’m afraid. You have to schedule an appointment.”

After a few minutes of persuading, he relented and asked Merlin to wait while he placed the call. Satisfied, Merlin headed over to the sofas where the rest were lounging now. As soon as he sat down, Gaius piped up. “Everything here seems rather......different from what the druids used to be. Do they still follow the old customs?”

“Yes, definitely. Most of them come together often and practice the Old Religion even today, rituals and rites and all. A few chose not to, and have different faiths or beliefs. Some things changed, but not all. “

“They still live close to nature.” Leon observed, gazing out a large window to the lush greenery around them. Percival nodded appreciatively; he always did find it fascinating how the druids lived as one with the forests, and had pestered a considerable number of them about the connection at length. 

A familiar figure in a black suit approached them, smiling. “Good morning, Merlin. It’s been quite a while.”

“Hi! Didn’t expect you to come all the way down here.” Merlin stood up, and the others followed suit. “Uh, guys, this is Shreya Vattekar. The Chief’s right hand. Basically runs the place.”

“Just a glorified secretary.” She dismissed the introduction, greeting them all with handshakes. Merlin knew she could and did handle nearly everything in this place. They often corroborated on using the Druid’s resources towards helping magic users in unsafe homes or environments. Outwardly she said nothing, but her voice rang clearly in his head.

_Merlin. Introductions usually go both ways. Who are your friends?_

_Not here_ , Merlin replied. _I promise they’re no threat. We need to see Eva first._

Shreya’s gaze flitted to him, inquisitive. Nodding almost imperceptibly, she led the way through a few huge rooms and corridors, and up a large staircase. They were in the East Wing, the Chief’s office. Shreya soon stopped before a door of sturdy, plain oak wood and opened it, waiting till they all filed into the office before shutting it behind herself. Spacious would be a gross understatement for this space. It was enormous, the entire left wall lined with bookshelves. It was well ventilated, large windows letting in a generous amount of natural light. It was also entirely empty.

Shreya didn’t pause and headed straight for the far end of the bookshelf. 

_Mrs. Matthews decided to use the old chambers this time; she thought it was just you. Personally, I think she just likes the theatrics of it._

Merlin bit back a grin, earning a suspicious squint from Arthur and a knowing look from Gwen and Leon. They’d gotten used to him talking telepathically to druids over the years, but Arthur was yet to. The blinds drew themselves over the windows with a flick of Shreya’s hand. She stopped at the large desk strewn with all sorts of papers, large volumes and a monitor. Merlin couldn’t see what she traced onto the underside of the desk, but he did recognise the spell she uttered before beckoning them over.

A gaping space had soundlessly replaced the bookshelf directly beside the desk, steps spiralling downwards as far as the eye could see. “Follow me.” 

They went down in a single file (it was too narrow for anything else), Merlin in the front, lighting up the way down with a blue flame. He could feel the entrance shut almost noiselessly behind them as Shreya brought up the rear. They marched down, deeper and deeper into the bowels of the earth. 

“Thank god we’re younger now........this would be a pain if I were 70 years old again.” Gwen mumbled. Gaius, right behind her, cleared his throat pointedly. Unsuccessfully muffled laughter came from Percy and Gwaine.

The stairs went on for a couple minutes before opening onto a hallway, wide enough for three people to walk abreast. Shreya edged her way up to the front once more and led the way. It was a corridor of stone, with a few hardy plants peeking out through crevices and nooks. The floor was tightly packed earth. They walked for a hundred meters or so before it widened into a spacious cave, ceiling dark and high above them and stone walls covered with creepers with tiny, white blossoms. A few hundred people could easily fit in here. 

Diametrically opposite to the entrance was a tall figure shrouded in shadows, standing absolutely still and waiting. 

“Emrys. After all these years, we meet again.”

Dramatic indeed. Merlin hoped he wasn’t smiling too widely. “Eva.” He offered with a little bow. Shreya, ever the pragmatic, snapped her fingers and lit up the entire place with a warm light, bright after the darkness they’d been in the last few minutes. 

Eva Matthews, Chief of the Druids, scowled at Shreya. “You spoiled the effect!”

“You have a meeting with the College in an hour. We don’t have a lot of time.”

Eva sighed. “Guess you’re right.” Merlin approached her, others in tow and a little bemused by the Chief. She smiled widely in greeting. “Merlin. Finally, you remember us.” 

Before he could reply, she barged on. “Why did you suddenly ask to meet? Why didn’t you call me, I gave you my personal number just so you wouldn’t have to waste time waiting in the lobby.” Her eyes quickly scanned the group awkwardly standing with him. “Ah. Maybe we should have stuck to the office.” she muttered, and adopted her more formal attitude and smiled politely. “Won’t you introduce us?”

Merlin held up his hands. “Hold on, you have to stop speaking for me to answer! First off, I know you’re busy and I didn't want to disturb you unnecessarily. As for your number.....well, I kind of lost it a while ago. My phone fell into the lake.” Shreya supressed a smile while Eva rolled her eyes, which was kind of objectionable since she was most likely to do something of the sort. 

Now, for the moment of truth. Merlin took a deep breath, and she must’ve sensed something big was coming. The easy smile slipped away and her face grew serious, green eyes sharp and alert. The woman who had become Chief of Druids stood before him.

Merlin said, “The Once and Future King is back. Say hello to Arthur Pendragon.”

Arthur stepped forward as Eva’s eyes widened in shock. Blinking, she regained her wits quickly enough and shook his hand. “It’s an honour to meet you.” Arthur added, bowing over her hand. Merlin could tell Eva was trying not to ogle them all. She nodded in acknowledgement and turned back to Merlin. “And the others..”

“Guinevere Pendragon.” Gwen stepped forward as well and smiled, steady on the surface though Merlin knew she was more than a little nervous. Years of ruling had helped her master the art of keeping a calm facade. Eva did smile this time, eyes lit up with excitement. “Your rule changed the history of Magic and its Users in this continent, My lady. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure’s all mine.” Gwen smiled a little easier. 

Merlin said, “And this is Gaius, and the Knights of the Round Table.” He quickly introduced them all. Once it was done, Eva turned solemn once more. “Emrys, how are they all here now?” She looked at him steadily, and her voice spoke in his head.

_Are you sure it’s them? Not some dark enchantment or necromancy?_

I’m sure. Merlin firmly replied. He’d been afraid of the same thing, but his magic hadn’t sensed anything wrong. They were as human as him or Eva. She nodded, and Merlin related all that had happened, including his conversation with Aithusa. He’d already pulled aside Arthur first thing in the morning and told him of it; He’d kept enough secrets from them. Not any more.

By the time he finished, Eva was pacing back and forth. All her usual cheer had vanished, replaced by a grimly set expression. “This is not good news.” she muttered, and then immediately turned to them. “No offense, you all returning from the dead is great. But the implications .........”

“The Once and Future King returns only when Albion’s need is greatest.” Arthur’s words were quiet, yet carried to everyone. “We heard. Something really bad could happen.” 

“Or is already happening.” Merlin said to Eva. “Is there anything you know of it? Anything out of the ordinary? Maybe, one of the seers has had a vision, a prophecy, something?”

“Nothing. You’d be the first to kn-.”

A sharp rustle from the far end of the cavern froze Eva mid sentence. As everyone stilled, Leon and Percival stalked towards it, accompanied by Shreya. The others watched with bated breath, alert and ready for trouble. “Show yourself.” Leon’s voice was loud and clear as they approached the source of disturbance. Merlin really hoped it wasn’t a rabbit they were so cautiously circling. 

Nothing happened for a moment. Shreya swiftly stretched her hand, palm facing outward and ready to cast, when a high voice yelled, “No, don’t!”

They all watched warily as a shape stepped out from the curtain of creepers overhanging the walls, hands held up in surrender as they cautiously inched forward into the well lit centre of the cave. The light revealed a young, round-faced girl, with an uneven brown braid, wearing a bright tank top and ripped skinny jeans, and a pair of worn sneakers. Presently, she looked like a deer in headlights, eyes flicking from one person to another. 

Merlin frowned incredulously as Eve stepped forward, radiating authority. “Check her for weapons.” Shreya did so with a single whispered word and gave a nod, before a slight frown creased her brow. “I’ve seen this kid around......you’re one of the history students aren’t you?”

Sweat glistened on the girl’s brow as she mutely nodded. She really was little more than a kid, barely twenty. Eve sharply spoke to her, “Identify yourself.”

“I...Nina Sanchez, Ma’am.”

“And how did you manage to sneak in here? Only Shreya and myself know of this place.”

“I.....I sort of needed to talk to you about......well....”

“That does not answer my question."

She spoke in a rush, voice a little shaky. “I really had to talk to you, but the appointments were taking too long! I.. I've explored the tunnels down here the last year or so. No one bothers with them much anymore, you see, and I was curious. I knew about the tunnel here, and that it was right under your office. I was going to try and come up directly to talk to you.” The last words rushed out of her in a flood. 

Centuries of experience had made him quite adept at gauging when he was being lied to, and this didn’t feel like a lie, however outlandish it was. Shreya met his eyes, and understood immediately. _I bound her with a Veritas spell. She couldn’t lie even if she wanted to._

Eva spoke once more, addressing Nina again. “Why go to all this trouble? It's simple enough to schedule an appointment to meet me. Why sneak in here?”

“I wasn’t sneaking!” Several brows raised skeptically. She flushed and looked away sheepishly. “Well, I- I didn’t mean to, at least. And I tried getting an appointment, but...I had to leave for the project near the Cauldron of Arianrhod and we got back just yesterday. I came to you as soon as I could.”

“Get to the point, Miss Sanchez.” The girl flinched at Eve’s sharp tone. 

“Four weeks ago....just before the trip, Jude, my friend, called in sick and skipped the project trip last minute. And he’s not been answering his phone. And......I met him yesterday at the library. Something is very wrong.”

“That isn’t the sort of thing I handle, you should talk-”

Shreya interrupted. “When did you see him before yesterday, and what did you do?” Merlin blinked. Shreya never interrupted without a really solid reason. 

Nina fiddled nervously with the hem of her top and replied, “Before I left for the Cauldron. Four weeks ago, Monday. We’d been to the vaults the day before, on the guided tour with Prof. Jackson. And Jude.....he’s fascinated by thanatology, and when we reached the Horn of Cathbhadh, he lingered.” 

“I didn’t think much of it, but then he started acting strange.” Nina spoke faster, with broad gestures as she got more agitated. “He didn’t even touch the thing, just stared, mumbling to himself, like he was somewhere else! And it was like he couldn’t look away again. Ever since I dragged him out of there, he’s been detached and distant. He didn’t even come to the trip, cancelled at the last minute.”

Shreya looked at Eva pointedly, who had most definitely paled a little. Merlin was definitely missing something. She turned to Nina again and said, voice softer than the sharp tone she had used before. “Four weeks ago, Monday night, an alarm was raised at the vaults. They’ve been shut since then, but nothing was taken. Though the culprit wasn’t successful, we have been trying to track them down, but there aren’t any leads. We’ve kept it quiet.” 

Nina’s face drained of all its remaining colour. “No. I.... I didn’t do anything! I swear-” she was trembling and looked ready to collapse now. As the others watched in a mix of confusion and concern, Merlin stepped towards her, palms facing upwards. “Hey. Calm down. I believe you. Okay? But you have to listen....and answer carefully. Could your friend have done this?”

“No!” Her eyes were shining with tears now, but she looked resolute. “He would never steal anything, or-or break in and out the bloody vaults.”

“Alright. Now, What did you mean when you said something was wrong with him?”

“Other than mumbling gibberish and distraction? We’ve always stayed in contact, ever since we were ten. But now he wasn’t picking up his phone, he wasn't calling me. After we came back yesterday, I went to his dorm and it was empty. Then, when I bumped into him at the library, and....” she took a deep breath. “He barely seemed to recognize me. Didn’t say a word. Just stared at me, and before I could get to him, he bolted. His face was…Totally blank. Like he felt nothing.” Her voice wavered as she spoke. Pausing for a moment, she swallowed and went on. 

“And that’s not all. I got in touch with his dorm friends.....and.....they thought he went on the trip with the rest of the class. They haven’t seen him for a month.”

Shreya said, her voice soothing, “Maybe he went home, did you check with his family?”

She shook her head. “He doesn't have any. They passed away years ago in an accident. He’s here on scholarship.”

Eve nodded curtly. “Shreya, get her to the office.” As Shreya led the still nervous girl out, Merlin sighed. “Why didn’t you tell me about the break in?”

“Nothing was taken, Emrys. Everything was safe and sound. There was no reason to worry.”

“Well, it sounds important enough to me! If the wrong person gets their hands on the wrong stuff, we’re done for!” 

“Hold on,” Arthur interjected. “What are these Vaults?”

Eve replied, “The most powerful and dangerous of Magical items are kept there for safeguarding. They are closely related to Druid’s customs and culture, as well as other forms of Magic. The staff of the Sidhe, The cup of Life, the Phoenix Flame, The Horn of Cathbhadh, and so on. In fact,” she added to Merlin, “That’s the part where alarms were set off. The Horn.”

“That’s...not good.” Gwen said warily. The others looked grim, thinking of how the last encounter with the Horn had turned out. 

Elyan spoke up. “Why are we just taking the girl’s words as the truth? She could be lying, about the boy or the vaults.”

“Shreya cast a Veritas spell while she scanned her for weapons. She couldn’t have lied to us.” Eva replied.

“We need to find this boy, as soon as possible. Irrespective of whether or not he was the culprit, something is definitely going on with him.” Merlin said, and Eve nodded. “I’ll set as many people as I can on it. We’ll contact you as soon as something crops up. But first, we have to make sure Miss Sanchez doesn't go about advertising your return to everyone.” she added to Arthur, and strode out mumbling about how people would freak out if the news went public. They followed her, everyone deathly silent. 

The resurrection and all this happening at the same time couldn’t be coincidence. It was too strange to be written off as a random issue, especially with such a powerful artifact possibly involved. All the new information swirled about in his head; he needed time to figure out what was happening before it was too late. Things would make a lot more sense once they found the Druid boy, Jude. 

They arrived in the office, dimly lit and blinds still drawn. Nina was slowly sipping water from a glass as Shreya sat by her. She immediately walked up to them. “She heard everything, about the King, the resurrection, all of it.”

Eve sighed. “I’ll see what to do about that........I still can’t believe a kid broke into the cave; it’s not easy to understand those tunnels. She’s very good.” She eyed Nina speculatively. 

Merlin approached the couch where the girl was seated and asked, “Do you have a picture of Jude? Anything that can help us?”

A spark of determination entered her wide grey eyes. “I can’t think of anything now, but I do have a pic.” 

“Alright, just forward it to me now.” He took the offered cell and entered his number into it. “Here. And if you need help, and the Chief or Miss Vatteker can’t be reached, you can call, alright?”

She nodded, looking a lot better than she did just minutes ago in the cave. Merlin turned to the group as Shreya resealed the not-so-secret-anymore entrance. “I’m heading to the library, be back in a bit.”

“I’m coming with you.” Arthur said, and Gwaine stepped forward expectantly as well. As they walked to the library, which encompassed the entire West Wing of the structure, Gwaine asked, “Why the library?”

Arthur beat him to the answer. “That’s where the Druid boy was seen last.”

Merlin thought out loud, “ He seems to have actively avoided his friends, hasn’t attended classes or even set foot in his room for four weeks. There has to be a good reason for him to make an appearance.”

A few enquiries later, they ended up in the far corner, less populous than the other areas. They approached the elderly man seated behind the large mahogany desk, peering at a list through his spectacles. 

While Gwaine and Arthur tried (and failed) to not stare at the computers set up against one wall, Merlin tackled the librarian. “Excuse me. I’m looking for a boy who was here yesterday, Jude Masters. Do you recognize him?” He displayed the picture Nina had forwarded to him (Arthurs and Gwaine were still baffled): a smiling, dark skinned boy with curling, dark hair and bright eyes. 

The librarian paused in his study and looked up. Closely looking at the photo, he spoke in the most stereotypical wise, kind old man voice ever. “I’m afraid that the name doesn't ring any bells, but this boy did come in yesterday. He behaved quite strangely, and the books he was looking for were an equally strange choice.”

“What was he looking for?” 

“Anything on the construction of this Castle. It has quite a rich history, dating back to the 7th century, when it was first built by-” the man paused and shook his head. “I’m sure to get off track about this, getting a bit rambling with old age.” They smiled politely in return, and he went on. “Well, there are a few texts about it. People rarely come looking for them, but this lad pulled down all of them and scanned through, as though he were searching for something. He seemed to be in quite a hurry.” 

_The Castle?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't realise how many if my OC's enter in the same freaking chapter till I posted this.
> 
> Leave a comment or a kudos if you like :D:D


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a big one folks!! Hope you enjoy it ;)  
> Also, Warning: Considerable Quantities of Angst.

“I don’t like them, Merlin.” Lancelot mumbled.

“I told you to stay home.” Merlin said as Leon and Lance both warily eyed the offending objects: the mannequins. 

“We want to help.” Leon said with a firm nod, deciding they were not an immediate threat. Lance still looked unsure, though. 

“Come on, then!” Merlin dragged them into the shop. There were aspects of old friends being resurrected from the dead he might not have been fully prepared for, and said friends couldn’t just wear all his clothes all the time. Hence the shopping trip, with a persistent pair of knights now sticking close to his side. 

Merlin scanned the shelves, trying to figure out what would fit who and keep an eye on Lance and Leon at the same time. They didn’t go too far, though, and Merlin was very easily distracted by the most important bunch of clothes aka the Pyjamas. He didn’t care if they didn’t wear it, he was going to buy some damn pyjamas. For Percival and Gwaine he picked two matching sets with a print of a lazy sloth smiling placidly on the front. Leon insisted on a plain pair, the spoilsport. Merlin’s eyes were, however, set on that dark blue pair with the witchy, pointy hat print. Those looked cozy and awesome. Hmmm.  He grabbed it in three sizes, one for himself, one for Elyan and one for Gaius; The last image was hilarious. Arthur and Gwen got another matching pair, the bigger one which said ‘little spoon’ and the smaller one that said ‘big spoon’, which was factually true. 

“Which one?” Merlin held up two pairs before Lance, a grey one with a really cute sleepy unicorn cartoon splayed with ‘NOPE’ written above it, and a pale blue one with a super rad and smug looking snail wearing neon-green sunglasses that said ‘Snailed it.”  Lance narrowed his eyes at both of them consideringly. Merlin understood totally, choosing the right pair was a very serious thing, and this was a really close one. A few seconds later, Lance shrugged. “I don’t know.” 

“Just pick one.” Leon sighed, and Merlin shot him the most disapproving look he could. 

“Hey, Merlin.” 

Lance startled and whipped around, immediately fixing on the Mannequin wearing sunglasses a few feet behind him before noticing the very amused looking Meg just a couple feet beside it. "Hi, Merlin's friend. Sorry I forgot your name, I have a serious problem remembering names," they said with a wave.

Lance relaxed a little. "Hello. I'm Lancelot."

Meg's eyes widened ever so slightly, and Merlin's heart skipped a beat. "And this is Leon. Leon, Meg." Lance added as Leon smiled politely. “They’re the one who brought our dinner yesterday.” 

Oh boy. 

Their eyes widening comically, Meg stared between the two (now very confused) knights. Leon, entirely oblivious to the situation, forged on, “Thank you. It was very goo-"

Meg swore. " _ The _ Lancelot and Leon!? Merlin! You didn't tell-" 

"Shhhh!  _ Everyone _ can hear you!" Merlin whisper-shouted back, and Meg slapped a hand to their mouth and sort of rocked back and forth on their toes, eyes shining. The initial outburst contained, they bounced closer. "Holy shit, Merlin!! Is Arthur back too? Hey, wait." An accusatory finger pointed straight at Merlin. "It wasn't a reunion of university pals at your place, was it." They said flatly.

"No."

Meg punched him in the shoulder. 

"Ouch!" 

"That's for lying to me, you mummy." 

“Umm..” Leon and Lancelot looked between them awkwardly. “Merlin?”

Meg was the first person in five decades to figure out Merlin’s true identity, amidst an incident involving an ancient Goblin, a lot of flour and a particularly aggressive bouquet of daisies. They had punched him in the shoulder then too. “Yeah, they know.” 

“Damn right I do!” Meg braced a hand on their hip and beamed at Lance. “So how many of you returned? Also,” They turned their grin to Merlin, “when do I get to meet ‘em all?”

“Not now, we’re in the middle of….. stuff.” Merlin ended with a shrug. Despite the joy of being reunited with long lost friends, they were all going through loss, some more than others. That, along with getting used to the 21st century, the Druids, and the threat of whatever made them come back looming over them, seemed more than enough to handle for now. Socialising could wait for a bit. 

Meg, going by their extra-exaggerated sigh, understood. Then they threw up their hands and mumbled, “Fine, fine. Ah, but what are you doing here?” She turned to Lance and Leon. “Lemme guess. Clothes.”

Lance smiled. “We’re nearly done, I think?” 

“Yep.” Merlin held up the two pairs again and demanded, “Lance, choose.”

“I don’t know..”

Leon politely suppressed an eye-roll as Meg crossed their arms and scrutinized the two candidates. “As much as I love unicorns and pink, I’d say go with the snail. That little dude’s awesome. And blue suits you.” 

Lance blinked, and smiled bashfully. “Thanks.”

“No probs, always ready to dish out advice that no one’s asking for.” Meg shrugged, and then noticed Leon warily watching a Mannequin in Christmas themed PJs. “Merls, why would you bring two dudes fresh out of the 5th century on a shopping trip? No offence,” they added to Leon and Lance with a wince. 

“We wanted to help.” Leon said, and Merlin huffed. 

“They were going stir-crazy.”

Choosing to ignore Leon’s disapproving look, Merlin waved the two pairs under Lance’s nose again. “Which one?”

“The snail.” Lance decided, and Meg shot him a thumbs-up. Putting back the other one, they headed towards the billing station, Meg with their own stuff slung over their arm. Out of nowhere, Meg snorted. 

“What?” 

“Have they read the works of Geoffrey of Monmouth?”

Merlin bit back his own cackle. Behind them, Leon asked Lance, “Is that our Geoffrey? From the library?”

“I don’t think so.” Lance mumbled. “He was from Derrian, I think.”

Gods, this was going to be  _ so much fun _ .

_ Not if everyone dies.  _ The pessimistic part of his brain said.

_ Shut up,  _ he told it. 

“Hey.” Meg bumped his shoulder with theirs. “If you need any help, you can ask. Anytime.” The worry, muted as they kept it but very much present in their eyes, made Merlin’s heart warm. Through the years, even in the very worst of conditions, there were always people who were kind, who wanted to help. For all the people who left, there were those stuck by him even after they learnt his truth. This warmth had kept him going in the hardest of times. 

“Thanks. I will.”    
  


**********

“Merlin!”

Freya’s voice rang out again and again, unwavering, but her eyes were desperate, almost panicked. He had to reach her, but she was just an inch too far away. Merlin’s heart sank as she just faded from his sight. Her voice just rang louder and louder, form hidden from his eyes in the mist. 

Merlin woke up in cold sweat, only to find her voice still resonating in his head, fading and then dying out entirely. A shiver of terror crept down his spine. Freya, with all of Avalon and the Sidhe’s magic behind her, was one of the most powerful beings ever, probably more so than Merlin. She had never reached out like this ever before. In the blink of an eye, Merlin winnowed to the bank.

Or tried to. With a painful jolt, he got chucked out between the trees, just meters away from the bank where he should have appeared. It wasn’t some warding blocking him. Whatever it was made his magic recoil terribly. A foreign, powerful thing filling up the air, the woods, his lungs. His veins were on fire as it’s mere presence clashed dangerously with his own. Merlin fell to his knees, soil and stones scraping his palms. That strange power surged, malicious and dark,  _ choking _ him. He struggled to get himself upright. Through the haze, he heard footsteps thudding down the path behind him. Someone gripped his shoulders. It was Gwaine, face twisted with concern.

And all of a sudden, something cut through, like a ray of sunlight penetrating the depths of a deep ocean. He gulped down the air, no longer tainted by that toxic magic. Heaving himself up, Merlin willed his legs to move. Gwaine was speaking, asking something, but Merlin couldn’t listen over Freya’s call still echoing in his ears. She needed him, before it was too late.

He stumbled out through the trees onto the bank and looked up and down fanatically as Gwaine followed. Whatever had just happened here was over, but he could feel the sizzle of pure Old Magic against that dark power. Just a few feet away, he spotted her.

“Freya!” he called, running to reach her. She moved slowly, as though something invisible force weighed down on her. In all of fifteen centuries, Merlin hadn’t seen her like this. “Are you alright?” He held her, one hand supporting her and the other on her cheek. She looked like someone who’d just fought a battle, and gladly let him support her entire weight. “I’ll be.... fine.....”

“What happened? What was that thing?”

“Magic, but not...not natural. It wasn’t pure. Poisoned. It tried to take Avalon’s power. I held it off as long as I could, but ...” She shook her head and paused for a moment, gathering her strength. “But I had to focus everything on fighting it off. It’s gone now. Help came from unexpected quarters.”

What did  _ that  _ mean? Merlin frowned as she pulled away from him, taking his hands in hers. She looked at him, a little sad, but mostly beseeching. “Merlin, you have to trust her. You  _ have _ to.”

“I don’t understand....” His head was swimming.

She squeezed his hands, eyes glinting with determination. “Don’t let this chance slip away.” Before he could say anymore, she melted away to nothing, once more returning to the lake. He turned to Gwaine who stood beside him, expecting him to look equally bewildered. Instead, the Knight stepped away from the lake, dragging Merlin with him. 

“What are you-” Merlin followed his gaze to find the lake rippling in a familiar way. He hadn’t noticed it till now, totally focused on Freya. But that was not all. They looked along the bank, and something very heavy settled in his stomach.

“No...” His voice was barely above a whisper.

Someone lay on the shore, still and unmoving. In the mellow light of dawn, there was no mistaking the dark gown, raven black hair strewed over the ground, the almost alarmingly pale visage. 

_ Morgana. _

Merlin sensed Gwaine freeze beside him. Neither of them could move for a long moment, shocked into stillness. Then Morgana stirred, and Merlin pushed Gwaine behind him. “Stay back. I won’t let anything happen, I swear.” he whispered. Gwaine didn’t reply, eyes still wide and fixed on the sorceress.

Merlin stood his ground as she sat up, taking in her surroundings. She was barely ten meters away. He could see the pale green of her eyes as they alighted upon him, and widened in wild panic. She scrambled further away, one hand raised defensively in front of her. 

“Stay away from me. You can’t hurt me anymore.” Her voice trembled with the force of emotion. 

Merlin eyed her warily as she rose to her feet, panting as though she’d run a marathon. “Where did you bring me?” She snapped. __

Something about this felt off _. _ “I didn’t bring you anywhere, Morgana.” Merlin took a careful step forward, only to watch her step further away, both hands raised before her. 

“Don’t! One more step and I’ll......I’ll kill you!” 

“You’ve tried and failed several times already.” 

Her laughter was bitter, humourless. There was fear and hatred and pain brimming in her eyes. “Rich words, coming from a man who poisoned me the last time we met,” she spat out. 

The words echoed in Merlin's head, and everything seemed to fade a bit as a sinking feeling hit him. “What?”

“Come on, Merlin.” Her lips twisted into a grimace. “First you poison me. And now feign innocence. At least Uther was open about his bias against magic, but  _ you _ .......pretend sympathy and then murder people for what they’re born with. Its disgusting.” She spoke through gritted teeth, though her eyes now brimmed with tears. Then she startled, and to his surprise stepped towards him. 

“Where’s Morgause? What did you do to her?” She demanded, eyes blazing. 

Merlin barely heard her over the dread slowly and steadily engulfing all his senses. He felt sick as her words registered. This couldn’t be happening. Freya’s words rang in his ears. __

_ Trust her. _

He stepped forward, hands raised, placating. “Morgana. What’s the last thing you remember?”

“Don’t you dare play any more games with me.”

“Listen to me. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Oh? Is  _ that  _ why you  _ poisoned _ me?” She hissed. She was trembling now.

“You left me no choice! It was the only way to stop you, or everyone would’ve died, thanks to you and Morgause!”

“Don’t try to make it sound righteous. I just never understood why you waited so long after finding out about my magic. Did it have some sick allure for you, making me trust you and  _ then _ taking my life?” The words were bitter with hate, but her mouth trembled. Merlin couldn’t explain what he saw in her eyes.

“Is that what Morgause told you? That I tried to kill you because of your magic?”

“Tell me what you did to her.  _ Now _ .” She flung out her hands, eyes turning golden. Merlin instantly created a shield, deflecting her magic easily.

Eyes wide and disbelieving as she took in his glowing eyes, Morgana froze. “You.....you have magic,” she stuttered, hands falling slack by her side. They stood silently, and Merlin’s thoughts whirled. Nothing she was saying made sense. And her surprise at him having magic, that just made it worse. How could she forget? How much had she forgotten? 

A motorbike drove past them, the sound of its engine cutting through the heavy silence. Morgana’s eyes flew to it, and she flinched back. “What is that thing?” She demanded, hands once more at the ready. Merlin swallowed. He had no idea how this was going to go. 

“It’s a vehicle. A motorcycle.” She looked at him like he’d spouted horns. Taking a deep breath to brace himself, Merlin told her, “It’s been fifteen hundred years since we last met.” The image of her face, wide eyes filled with hate and pain as she died in his arms was still clear as day, as was that of her lying in the boat as he sent her off. 

She stared and stared. And then laughed, almost hysterical. “Why would I ever believe you?” Her voice wavered. For the first time, she seemed to spot Gwaine standing a little way behind Merlin, but her eyes passed over him without a trace of recognition. Merlin could sense him tense under her gaze.

“Gwaine. I don’t think she remembers you.”, he whispered, low enough that she couldn’t hear.

“Going by your conversation, mate, I don’t think she remembers anything about her last few years.”

Merlin’s stomach dropped as he put it onto words. “Get Gwen. Tell her what’s happened and ask her to come down now.” If Gwaine was right, she was the only one Morgana might trust.

He kept his eyes on Morgana as Gwaine took off. Merlin couldn’t even guess at what he’d be going through at the sight of the person who had nearly tortured him to death. As he left, Morgana started forward but Merlin raised a hand, shielding him from anything she may do. However, no magic was forthcoming. 

“Why?” Her voice was barely a whisper, but he heard clearly. “If you had magic too, why did you do that to me ? For  _ Uther _ ?”

“No”. Merlin felt choked by the lump in his throat. “Everyone in the castle would’ve died otherwise.”

“And how did poisoning  _ me _ avoid that?”

“The spell’s Magic was bound to you! Those knights would have killed  _ everyone _ .” His own voice shook now, with the memory of that day. With the steadily burgeoning guilt he’d learnt to deal with over centuries.

“I had nothing to do with that! Even if it  _ was _ an enchantment and not a sickness.”, she snapped.

Merlin shook his head. “This is useless. Whatever I say,you won’t believe me.” Something in Merlin ached as he said the words. A wound that had never quite healed right had opened once more. He didn’t know anymore. Could she be lying? She may not believe him, but could he? They were at an impasse.

_ Trust her. _

“Cast an enchantment on me.” He found himself saying. “To make sure I can’t lie.”

Morgana stared disbelievingly. Part of him did the same. But someone had to take a leap of faith here, or this would go on forever. Even if she  _ did  _ try to kill him given the chance, Merlin’s extraordinary Magic would never let him die, as he’d learnt after escaping numerous deadly situations over the years. 

“I mean it. One of us has to end this before anyone else gets hurt. Do it.” He waited, jaw clenched and fighting the urge to shield himself.

She hesitated a moment, distrust and desperation battling for dominance. She must know something was different since she was last in this world, anyone with magic could sense it instinctively. She had to want to find out what was going on.

Desperation won. Morgana flung her arms out and incanted. “ _ Yfel êow besettan rocettan wægn sôðcwide norðêast sb nân−wiht ¯ægðand wægn sôðes _ ”

_ I compel you to utter the truth, and nothing but the truth. _

Merlin relaxed just a little as his own magic tingled and the spell worked itself. She hadn’t tried to kill him instantly, which really had him leaning towards her not remembering the past entirely. 

“Where is Morgause?”

“She’s dead.”

Her breath hitched. “Now tell me if all that you’ve said so far is true. Yes or no.” She demanded.

“Yes.”

Her face went scarily slack, and the fight seemed to seep out of her as the implications of that single word sank in. That very moment, Merlin heard the trees rustle and turned. Morgana, who was facing the spot, looked as well.

Gwen stood there, still as a statue, taking it all in. 

Morgana stumbled forward, voice quaking as she called out, “Gwen.....”

The sound of her voice jerked Gwen into action. She approached, but hesitated a few feet away. She glanced to Merlin, the question clear in her teary eyes.  _ Is it true? _

Merlin nodded. She looked at Morgana searchingly for a few seconds, and apparently found what she wanted. With a sharp breath, she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around Morgana, who clung to her, trying to say something but managing only garbled sounds through her tears. 

Gwen had tears streaming down her own face as she soothed her. “Shhh.....it’s okay. I’m here.” Merlin stepped back, giving the two of them some space. He knelt at the lake, and brushed it’s surface with a feather-light touch.  _ You did the right thing.  _ Freya’s soft words reached his ears like a whisper in the breeze. But it did little to alleviate the unease that snaked inside him anew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :')
> 
> (The spell is supposed in Anglo-Saxon, for which I used an online translator. I tried to find a moderately reliable one, but if you do understand Anglo-Saxon, please tell me if I put absolute, nonsensical rubbish or worse.)
> 
> Leave a comment or a Kudos if you like!!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, more angst, I'm afraid. The comfort will come, but not that easily.  
> Also, Gwen's POV!! (I love writing her, but it's surprisingly hard.)

They were greeted by the sight of all the others wide awake and sleep-ruffled in new pajamas, waiting in the liviig room. Morgana had kept her expression stoic as they walked, but now a flicker of hesitation passed over her features. All eyes turned to her, alert and also a variety of emotions ranging from trepidation to disbelief. Arthur was the first to speak. 

“Morgana..” He stepped towards her and she stood her ground, though Gwen could see very well the worry and fear simmering below her defiant look. He’d worn the same facade too many times himself, and felt the same twist of uncertainty and fear underneath. 

When it became clear she wasn’t going to reply, Gwen gently took her arm and led her to the room she and Arthur had been sleeping in just minutes ago. Merlin released a breath he didn’t even realize he was holding as the two of them went in and shut the door behind them.  The next second, Arthur made for the front door, slamming it shut after him.  _ Oh, bloody hell.  _ Merlin went after him, only to see him pacing a furrow into the earth. The man was living through the craziest couple of days ever, and even Arthur had to vent at  _ some _ point. Merlin stood silently, waiting. Several minutes passed that way before Arthur finally exploded. 

“This  _ cannot _ be  _ happening _ . After all she’s done, all that we’ve suffered at her hands, she has no right to turn up now without a single memory of it!” His voice cracked, and he furiously wiped a tear that escaped. Turning to Merlin, he asked, “You poisoned her. Do you think she could ever forgive you?”

_ What the hell, Arthur!?  _ Merlin kept the thought to himself.. “I...I hope she does. I don’t think she will. Can’t blame her for that.”

“Then how can any of us forgive  _ her _ actions? Forget and forgive  _ everything _ ?” 

“Arthur....this is nothing like that. What I did to her was a conscious choice.  _ I did it _ . But this Morgana,” He gestured to the cottage. “the person in there right now, she didn’t do any of those things. She doesn't remember anything of that part of her life.”

“So what do we do? Let her stay, wait for her to do it all over again?” Arthur was pacing again. 

“She won’t.”

“And how are you so sure of that?” He snapped. But Merlin knew there was a real, desperate question behind it.

“Because this time, I’ll not abandon her.  _ We _ won’t abandon her. She will not have to place her trust on someone who will just misguide or  _ use _ her.”

Maybe it was the words, or how quiet Merlin’s voice had gone, that made Arthur halt abruptly. The kettle whistled from somewhere behind them, loud in the silence. A bird chirped. Merlin heard Arthur’s steps crunch on the dewey grass as he approached and slumped against the wall beside Merlin, exhaling forcefully. Merlin turned to look at him. His eyes glistened with tears, mouth twisted into a frown. 

Merlin swallowed.“This is a second chance for us,” Arthur turned to him. “For her. I don’t know how or why it happened, but it did. And I’m going to make the most of it. We can’t let it happen again. Think of it, Arthur. We’d have Morgana back, the  _ real  _ Morgana.”

A small, wistful smile replaced the frown. Arthur looked at him and nodded. A determined glint appeared in his eyes, and Merlin once again marvelled at the man before him. A lifetime of being betrayed and let down by the people he trusted, and he still had it in him to trust again. If only Merlin had learnt this little thing from him years ago, maybe things would’ve been different.

But now, they were in this together, all of them. As they walked back in and the sun rose on a new day, it felt like they could make it through whatever destiny was flinging at them together.

As the two of them entered, Merlin found Gaius lingering about the hallway. Arthur excused himself and headed to the living room as Gaius purposefully accosted Merlin. 

“Merlin-”

“Gaius, not this time. We weren’t there for her once before, but this is a second chance. I don’t know what to say to convince you, and I  _ know _ you you mean well, but I will do my best to stand by her-”

“Merlin!” Merlin blinked as Gaius interrupted his speech. He’d expected Gaius to be suspicious and cautious as usual, and disagree with his decision. But now, he just looked a truly weird bizarre combination of annoyed and guilty.

As Merlin shut up, he said “My boy. I am not faultless, but I am capable of looking back and recognising my mistakes.” He sighed, and the weight of his years seemed to settle in his gaze. “I feared for you and Morgana. I let that win over my better sense until it was too late for her. I will not do the same gain.”

Merlin beamed and let out a sigh of relief. “Thank gods! I had a whole thing prepared to convince you. But you’re wiser than I’d anticipated. Should’ve known, with all that white hair.” 

“Well, you’re certainly responsible for a sizable amount of it,” he replied dryly. As they walked to the living room, Merlin caught Gaius considering him with a rare smile. Cocking his head back, Merlin narrowed his eyes at him. “What’s that for?”

“After a long, long time, I’m seeing the young boy who first walked into my chambers all those years ago. “

Merlin shook his head. “You're getting sappy in your old age.” But there was no denying the warmth blooming in his chest. 

******

Gwen still couldn’t quite believe it. Even as they sat down side by side, even as Morgana’s hand clung tightly to her’s, her mind just repeated over and over,  _ She’s here. She’s real.  _

“Here,” Gwen handed Morgana the bottle of water from the bedside, and Morgana frowned at it, as though vaguely confused by the strange thing. Nevertheless, she accepted it and took a sip. “Thank you.”

Neither of them spoke. Really, what could one even say in such a situation? Gwen had looked at Morgana and knew, just  _ knew _ in her heart that it was her friend and not the captor who had once taken her. The very same person who had fought with Uther for her Father’s life, for her life. The very same person who never hesitated to speak her mind, who used her own share of rations to feed the starving people, who was kind and also  _ so scared.  _ How had she never noticed? How had Gwen let her slip away? 

Not again. Never again. She would do anything to not let go.

Morgana shifted, absently fingering the black lace of her sleeve. This was not a dress she would remember putting on; now that she thought of it, she had pretty much consistently worn the same thing all the time. And Gwen hadn’t really taken time to notice before, what with all the fighting-for-her-life, but Morgana’s hair was a  _ mess _ .

Gwen walked to the cupboard and Morgana watched listlessly as she pulled out one of the set of clothes Merlin had bought yesterday. “I’ll help you take that off, if you want. You can put these on.”

Morgana simply nodded. Her movements were sluggish as she changed, somehow muted. It wasn’t as apparent under all the layers before, but now it was obvious she had lost weight. There were faint scars around her wrists; remnants of her time as Sarrum’s captive. Gwen wrestled down a pang of cold, pure rage. Morgana needed comfort and care now. At least for her sake, she had to stay calm. “Come on.” Gwen nodded to the chair by the window. “Your hair’s a proper mess.” 

Instead of walking over, Morgana met her gaze. Wordlessly, she sat down on the floor right where she stood, hugging her knees to her chest. Gwen took the silent invitation and sat behind her, on the bed. As gently as she could, she began undoing the knots and tangles, careful not to tug too hard. Morgana didn’t move an inch.

“I did something, didn’t I.” Morgana’s voice was soft, but unwavering. It was a statement, not a question. “Something bad.” 

If she asked to know what had happened, Gwen wasn’t sure she could tell, or if Morgana herself could hear it right now. But Morgana didn’t push. Instead, she asked, “Does Arthur know?” 

It took a moment for Gwen to understand what she was asking about. “Yes.” 

“Do you think… I should have told him?”

“Back then? I don’t know.”

“I should have told you.” 

Gwen swallowed against the tightness that pressed her heart and resumed working on a particularly stubborn knot. And when that was resolved, she moved to the next one. It took a little while to realise what Morgana was looking at: her own wrists. She still didn’t ask about it. Tugging the long sleeves of her shirt over it, she sighed. “She took me to a place in the forests. Morgause. It was in Essetir. I trained there, learned to control my power. The nightmares still came, but less frequently and much less vividly. I- I cannot rightly say I missed Camelot, or anyone. I was too enraged for that.” 

“We were to begin a revolution. Change everything, make Camelot somewhere everyone could live without fear.” Her voice cracked at the words, and Gwen felt her own throat tighten. She placed a hand on her shoulder. “You don’t have to tell-”

“I want to. I  _ have _ to.” Morgana nodded, not once taking her eyes off the wall before them. “All I wanted was to live happily, with dignity and respect. To help myself, and others like me. When you have to hide yourself, afraid of becoming a monster to those you care for, and someone comes along who knows your secret and accepts you with it? It’s easier to trust them. Easier than telling those you love.” Her voice dwindled down to a whisper. “I should have known. All she ever really spoke about was ending Uther’s rule. Her quest was revenge, not peace. And I was vain enough to think I could change her mind.” Shaking her head, Morgana furiously wiped away the tears from her wet cheeks. “I put my foot down when she allied with Cenred. She listened to what I said, or so I thought. The next day, she told me the alliance was over for good. And the day after that, we set off for the Tower. That’s the last thing I remember.”

_ The Tower.  _ The word set alarm racing through Gwen’s veins. “What Tower?” 

Morgana turned to her, frowning slightly at the sharp tone. “It was a silly name, I don’t recall correctly. But,” she added after a moment, “we went through a forest first. It was enchanted to be impenetrable; the directions were-”

“ -reversed.” Gwen muttered. “East was West and North was South.”

Morgana turned fully to her, eyes sharp once again. “You know it. You do, don’t you? Tell me.” 

“Was- was it the Dark Tower?” Gwen couldn’t stop her voice from shaking, both from the memories that threatened to surface and the thought of what it could mean.  _ No. Please don’t say yes. Anything but yes.  _

“That’s what it was!” Morgana nodded encouragingly. “the Dark Tower. Morgause told me it was a place of the Old Religion, and would be the best place to start learning how to channel my powers. Gwen, what- what is it?” 

Morgana’s voice grew small as she asked the question, because try as she did, Gwen couldn’t stop the horror she felt from showing on her face. The memories of those dark days had returned to her bit by awful bit in her nightmares. Nightmares of everyone she cared about mocking and shunning her, of the screams, of the utter hopelessness and  _ emptiness _ which had hounded Gwen for years afterwards. It was not something one could put into words; the mind wasn’t twisted or forced into delusion. The ritual wrenched apart the fight, the soul, piece by piece till one was so tired of fighting that one gave in, and curled into a corner while a bit of the captor’s will drove them like a puppet. 

How was she to tell Morgana this?

Scrambling onto the bed beside her, Morgana looked straight at her, eyes shining with broken rage at whatever she beheld on Gwen’s face. “Morgause did something to me, didn’t she?” 

Gwen’s silence was answer enough. 

“What did she do? Gwen, I have to know.  _ What did she do _ ?”

Could she take the weight of the truth? Gwen feared she would lose her again. 

But the pain in Morgana’s eyes won. She’d had years of her life snatched away, her will stolen from her. There was no telling if she would ever remember that time. Telling her the truth of it was the least anyone could do. It was owed to her.  This wasn’t Gwen’s decision to make. Or anyone else’s. 

It was Morgana’s alone.

Gwen told her. 

*********

Merlin made porridge for breakfast. The last time he’d cooked for such a large group was several decades ago, on the Himalayan Trek he’d joined with a bunch of others. This was comparatively much easier, even than all those times he’d fed the knights and Arthur. Stoves were a blessing. In just two days, Gaius, Lance, Leon and Gwen had acquainted themselves with the kitchen well enough. Merlin was a tad bit worried at the pace the chocolate was disappearing (Gaius and Gwaine blamed each other, but it was Elyan). 

Lance helped with breakfast, and no further attempts at sneaking out goodies were made by anyone. The jovial mood that had sprung up these last two days despite everything had become overcast. No one spoke except in muted murmurs. With a wave of Merlin’s hand, the dishes cleaned and cleared themselves away. Even Gwaine barely escaping being walloped by a bowl didn’t cheer them up. Merlin fidgeted in his spot on the sofa, anticipation and tension palpably building around them. No one said a word, each man lost in his own wonderings. These people had suffered a lot at Morgana’s hands, and here he was, asking them all to just give her another chance.

“I know it’s not fair on any of you.” Though his voice was low, all eyes turned to Merlin as he spoke. “Being asked to trust her without any explanation or anything. I get that what i’m asking is too much, but-”

Percival cut him off mid sentence, “We trust you, Merlin. And your judgement.”

Leon said, “I know you have your reasons for what you suspect, Merlin. We all do. And we’re with you.”

He was talking about Elyan, who had died due to her enchantment. Gwaine, who had been tortured to the brink of death. Percival, who had nearly lost his closest friends and King to her. Lancelot, who had been brought back as a shade and used as her puppet. Some of them didn’t even know Morgana from before that phase. And yet, they stood with Merlin now, ready to help her. Gwaine smiled - not his usual brash and roguish one, but a softer and kinder one- as he said, “We may not be able to change what happened, but we can surely try to make sure it doesn't happen again. For all our sakes.”

Leon piped up, “You do owe us an explanation, though.” Merlin slumped further into the sofa. “That’s what I’m hoping Gwen may be able to tell us, once she’s talked to Morgana.” 

They all turned to look at the closed door of the bedroom. Not a hint of movement or noise had come from in there for an hour now. Nearly all of them jumped a bit as the door suddenly swung open at that very moment and Gwen stepped out. She shut the door quietly behind her, and leaned against it heavily. 

“She’s asleep now.” Her voice trembled just a bit, enough for Merlin’s gut to give an anxious tug. Visibly rattled, she walked over to the sofa and sat down in the armchair Percival vacated, and her face disappeared behind her palms.

“Gwen?” Elyan gently called from beside her. 

“It’s bad. Very bad.” Her voice came muffled through her hands. She rubbed her face and lowered her hands, lacing them together. Pain, grief, and a rare, cold rage shone in her eyes. 

“Tiana Diaga.”

Merlin blanched. For a bit, he heard nothing over the roaring in his ears. Gaius went absolutely still and Arthur’s eyes glazed over as he muttered, “No..” 

“Wha- What does that mean?” Percival asked. 

As Gaius explained the ritual and Gwen related all that Morgana had told her, Merlin barely heard them. Six months she had spent with Morgause before she was put through the ritual. She had been missing for a whole year. How long had it taken Morgause to break her, to get beyond her magic and wring her soul out till she was a mere puppet? 

Merlin’s head reeled. Just when it felt like his legs would give out any moment now, a warm weight settled on his shoulder. It was Lance. He tried to focus on the grip, firm and grounding, and forced himself to listen as Arthur spoke. 

“- did you tell her?”

Gwen didn’t look up. “Yes.” 

Every bit of Merlin froze. Lance sighed from beside him while the others gaped at Gwen. 

“Why?” 

“She asked, and I told her.”

“Guinevere, this isn’t-”

“No, Arthur. You don’t know how it feels. You cannot know what it is to suffer like that.” No one dared interrupt her as she spoke. “It’s not easy. For anyone. But we can’t -” her voice cracked. Nevertheless, she swallowed and resumed, “We can’t erase all that happened , all that we went through. Morgana more than anyone. She has the right to know how she was used.”  _ Used.  _ The word sent another wave of disgust coursing through Merlin. 

“It’s owed to her.” Lancelot said, and met Gwaine’s eye from across the room. He nodded. After Gwen, they were the only ones who could even guess how it felt. Honestly, how were they managing to be this calm?

Excusing herself, Gwen got up and headed into the study. A part Merlin wanted to go after her, comfort her and be there for her, but he was too much of a mess inside to be of any help now. The cottage suddenly felt stifling. Merlin rushed out the front door and around the house till he reached the back. Leaning heavily against the wall, he let out a shuddering breath. The brisk wind stung, but barely registered. How had he let that happen? For years Morgana was under that terrible magic, stripped of her own will, of her own person. How had he believed so easily that she could transform into someone so entirely different from who she really was?

_ Because it was easier to succumb to the fear. To believe that she was the monster you were afraid of turning into. It was easier to fear and fight than to trust and help.  _

Merlin hated that part of himself. Hated with a vengeance, that he had let cowardice get the better of him. Believed ‘Destiny’ and ancient prophecies and vague warnings over the people he knew and loved. 

As the cold of the earth under him seeped through his sweatpants, Merlin realized he had slid to the ground. Hugging his knees to his chest, he let it all go. He cried, silently at first and then in great, choking, heaving sobs. It had been centuries since he’d felt this terrible. 

He didn’t realize Gwaine had come after him till he wrapped an arm around Merlin and pulled him into a sideways hug. He held him for God knows how long, till the sobs faded away and Merlin’s vision wasn’t as blurry any more. 

“Better?” Gwaine asked, giving him a brief squeeze. Merlin sniffled and nodded. It wasn’t gone, not that easily. This wasn’t the sort of thing one could wash away with a good cry. But when did venting ever make things worse?

“I shouldn’t have-”

Gwaine cut him off. “Hey, a lot of us have blamed ourselves for a whole many things over the years. Don’t. There was no way you could’ve known.” That didn’t feel right. He should have. He would have, if he weren’t blinded by suspicion. His silence was enough to tell Gwaine he disagreed. 

He just sighed, and they sat in silence. They had gone through this many, many times. People made mistakes, and the only thing to do was to learn from them and move on. But not one of them had done it successfully, the moving on bit. The ‘not-wallowing-in-your-guilt-and-remorse’ bit. 

Merlin turned to Gwaine, who was now staring off into the blue, deep in thought. “This isn’t going to be easy for any of us, Merlin. Her included.”

Arthur’s voice rang in his head.  _ How can any of us forgive her actions?  _

Gwaine must’ve picked up telepathy somewhere along the way, or he was just that good at reading Merlin after all these years. With a sideways smile, he said, “Now we know what happened wasn’t Morgana choice. We can’t blame her for it any more than any of us.”

“But will you be okay?” Merlin worried. He remembered Gwaine, so terrifyingly close to death in that forest. The memory of Lance thanking him just before floating him away into Avalon. Elyan succumbing to that sword. Arthur in the lake of Arianrhod, desperately calling to Gwen as she spewed Morgana’s -no,  _ Morgause’s-  _ hate. Morgana dying in his arms, at his hands. How could any of it be okay?

“Well, it may take some time. But time heals a great deal, does it not?” Merlin returned his smile, watery and weak. Gwaine ruffled his hair even as Merlin huffed and half-heartedly swatted him away. Trust Gwaine to deliver television-worthy dialogues in one moment and mess with Merlin to cheer things up the next.

Gwaine bounced to his feet and held out a hand. “Get you ass off the cold ground, We can’t have you catching a cold and making stuff randomly erupt into flame every time you sneeze.” 

“That was one time!” Merlin grumbled, a weak smile tugging at his mouth, taking his hand. They returned to the wonderful aroma of coffee, and Leon thrust a cup into both their hands as they appeared. Everyone seemed to be nursing their own, spread out through the living room as usual. 

Arthur and Gwen had reappeared from the study sometime ago. They were all quiet, deep in thought, and Merlin found himself drifting towards where Gaius sat in the armchair, farthest away from the rest. He may not strike one as the most emotional of people, but Merlin knew him too well. The old man was beating himself up over it just as much as Merlin was, if not more. 

Perching on the arm of the chair, Merlin caught his eye. He could sense Gaius shift into his fussy parent mode as he took in Merlin’s face, probably all red and puffed up from before.  “I’m fine, Gaius. You, on the other hand....” Merlin raised an eyebrow and tilted his head knowingly. Gaius just shook his head and resumed staring at his coffee. But when Merlin took his hand, he squeezed back silently. 

The quiet settled thickly over them, like regret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoping my tears while writing are worth it, and this was suitably heart-wrenching.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay!! I'll try to put up the next chapter today as compensation :)

Merlin was pretty sure he would’ve shifted into what Freya called his ‘mope-mode’ if left idle for long enough. Arthur valiantly tried to distract him, but Merlin could tell his heart wasn’t in it. Though the door to the bedroom was shut, all of them were exceedingly aware of Morgana in there. 

Finally, it was Lance and Elyan who did the trick. “So....You mentioned that the boy – Jude- was poking about the Druid’s Headquarters. Me and Lance were discussing that in the morning...” Elyan said, perching on the table before Merlin and Arthur on the sofa. Lance slid in beside Merlin. It had slipped Merlin’s mind amidst today’s events. 

Lance carried on, “We were thinking.....well, there aren’t many reasons why someone would want to know about a structure’s construction unless they wanted to get a perfect idea of the Building’s layout.”

Appearing apparently out of nowhere (and accompanied by Percival as always), Gwaine leaned over the back of the sofa. “But the kid lives there, right? He probably knows the layout better than the back of his hand.”

“The external one, yes.” Gaius shut the book he was reading (one of his old tomes Merlin had preserved). “But what about the one he couldn’t see?”

Merlin sat up straight as the others looked between them with confusion. “Care to share with the group?” Gwaine waved a hand before Merlin’s face. 

Merlin obliged. “The wardings.”

“What wardings?” Elyan raised his brows at him.

Gaius spoke for him, “We’re talking about a castle built centuries ago, that too belonging to the Druids. It’s most definitely protected by magic - not only of those inside it, but woven into the structure itself.”

“Won’t it be commonly known to Druids?” Arthur asked Merlin.

Merlin shook his head absently. Something vague was taking form in the back of his mind. “They all know that some sort of protection exists, but not what it is. That Magic is really old and complex, nothing like what they’re taught and trained in nowadays. They tried to replicate it with the Vaults, but it’s still only a fraction as potent as the original.”

“Well, then it surely can’t be found in the Library?” Leon asked.

“That place is as old as the castle itself, and has archives preserved by magic that date back even further. It could be there in theory, but to actually understand and work with it..... not possible. Magic changes over time. It would need power and a grasp on things that barely anyone has. ” Merlin answered. That vague something was piecing itself together as he spoke. 

Leon’s frown deepened. “So if the druid boy was looking for the various wards and shields around and in the building......”

“...he could be looking for a way to bring them down.” Percival finished the sentence, and it clicked into clarity. 

Gwen winced. “They want to take the headquarters?”

And just like that, Merlin’s mind was racing once again, searching for answers to half a dozen questions that instantly materialized. “We have no idea who ‘they’ are. Or even if that’s what the boy wanted.”

“But what if it is?” Arthur raised his brows. “We can’t ignore the possibility!”

Lancelot shook his head. “We need to see if those details are there in the Library or not.”

“That still won’t tell us what the boy’s intentions are for sure. Why would he even want to do that? It’s his  _ home _ .”

“We barely know enough about him to draw any conclusions. And there’s the stuff about him acting weird and all...” Merlin sighed. That was the crux of the problem; they didn’t have sufficient information to do anything. “I’ll call Eva and tell her about this. And ask if anything new has come up.” If there was any news, she would’ve already called.

“And if there’s nothing?” Arthur asked. 

“We wait.” 

As expected, the call yielded no information. Merlin told Shreya about their theory, and she assured him they would keep an eye out. Though there was nothing concrete in favour of it, Merlin had a feeling they were right about the Castle. Like all this wasn’t enough confusion, there was also the matter of whatever happened at Avalon this morning. That dark power that nearly choked him, Morgana’s return –  _ questions, questions, questions _ . A talk with Gaius about it helped in no way. One more mystery to solve and Merlin was positive his brain would collapse. 

It was evidently taking a toll on all of them. They (except Gaius, who stayed in the study and messed around with the various ingredients) had spent yesterday afternoon training in the backyard, including Gwen. She was easily as good as any of them after formal training, and had Arthur on the floor in under five minutes. Percival and Lance sparred amicably. Elyan and Gwaine ended up wrestling each other till Leon scolded them. It had felt like they all were back on the training grounds in Camelot. 

If only.

The mystery of Jude Masters would be solved soon, thanks to the Druids' freakishly adept network of spies; it was only a matter of time. The problem was no one knew how much time they had before everything went to shit. He had to talk to someone about the Magic he’d felt at Avalon too. It was ancient, far beyond Merlin, even the druids themselves. The one person who maybe could’ve helped was Freya, but she was as much at a loss as he was. (Also recovering from the unexpected attack. Gods, it drove him up the wall sometimes, not being able to be with her when she wasn’t in her human form.)

Well…. there was Anhora. But Merlin had met the old man exactly twice in his considerably long life, and that was when Arthur had killed an unicorn like the clotpole he was. Who knew if he was still around, even? But if he was, it was worth a try, right?

That mission could wait for a bit, Merlin decided, as the creak of the bedroom door caught his attention. It was only him, Gaius and Gwen and Lance and Percival inside now; the others had gone to take their frustrations out by walloping each other in the backyard again while Merlin had drifted off in thought.

Morgana stepped out and shut the door behind her, acknowledging them with a small nod. They returned it, Percival looking suddenly more alert, while Gwen went a step further and smiled at her friend. “Hey. Feeling any better?”

Morgana nodded again and sat in the armchair. She had changed into sweatpants and a t-shirt Merlin had originally got for Gwen; it was as strange as seeing the others going about in casual modern clothing, which is to say  _ very _ . Her face was carefully devoid of emotion. Classic Pendragon move. 

Lance awkwardly stood up and excused himself to the kitchen, mumbling something vague about tea. He was polite as ever but both the voice and manner were stiff. A deeply awkward silence descended upon them, the only sound being Lance bustling about in the kitchen. Eventually, he appeared once more balancing six cups on a tray. Everyone quietly took a cup. Percival slurped loudly from his cup, and muttered a little ‘sorry’ before resuming sipping quietly. 

“Uh...If you want,” Merlin offered to her tentatively “I could fetch Arthur. He’s just-”

“No!” Merlin stopped halfway off the couch. “I- ..no.” With a curt shake of her head, Morgana dismissed it with solid finality. Once again, nobody spoke. 

Merlin had not felt this awkward since.....since forever. He sent a silent thanks to the Gods as Morgana finally broke the silence. 

“We haven’t been introduced.” she said to Percival, with a polite, small smile. “ Morgana Le Fay. ” 

Percival blinked. He had never encountered Morgana without the signature evil look before, Merlin couldn’t blame his confusion. 

“Percival. Knight of Camelot.” He replied mildly, and added after a brief pause, “We, uh...we did meet, after....” he tilted his head and trailed off, and Morgana just pursed her lips. 

“Oh.” She looked down, into the cup she had wrapped her palms around. Merlin recognized the determined set of her jaw; he’d seen if often enough in her as well as Arthur. 

The back door burst open and the others trooped in. Noticing her, they stopped in their tracks and Morgana stood up. She opened her mouth, about to say something, but then pursed her lips. Then, taking a sharp breath, she said, “All of you are here right now, and I’d-” she swallowed. “I know it amounts to very little, I do. But I apologise for all the suffering I’ve caused. I’m sorry."

Just as Arthur, right at the front of the group, stepped forward she hurried back into the room. Arthur watched after her miserably. Gwen went after her, but not before shooting Arthur an apologetic look and Merlin a beseeching one. Arthur turned to him. “Why didn’t you call me?” 

He was upset, understandably. Tilting his head to a side, Merlin took a step forward. “I’m sorry, Arthur. I wanted to, but....”

“But what! ?” 

“She asked not to.” 

Arthur blinked. “Oh.” 

The Knights and Gaius took the hint and slunk off to the various other rooms. Arthur mumbled at the floor, “Sorry for the outburst.” He crouched on the sofa, face buried in his hands. 

Merlin sighed. He seemed to be doing a lot of that these days. “Arthur. You need to give her time.”

He looked up, weary. “She didn’t mind having Lancelot or Gaius here. For god’s sake, she didn’t mind  _ Percival _ and she doesn't even know the bloke.”

“Because to her, they don’t matter. Not as much as you do.” 

Arthur scoffed. “Guinevere was here..”

“Yeah, Morgana trusts her.”

“And she trusts  _ you _ ?” Arhur bitterly said.

Merlin flinched back, and Arthur’s eyes widened as he heard his own words. “I- I didn’t mean it like that, Merlin. I’m sorry. Just- I don’t mean to hurt you.” 

He didn’t. Merlin knew him well enough to know that. Arthur was never the best with talking things out when it came to personal stuff. Trying to get him to open up was like wrestling with a dragon. 

“I don’t know why she didn’t mind me being here, but that’s not what we’re talking about. She needs time to process a ton of stuff; she’s had it worse than the lot of us, and that’s saying something. She feared and hated Uther. And when she left....”

“I was in his shadow. She had no reason to believe I am any better than him.” Arthur admitted forlornly. Merlin snorted. “The shadow thing may be true, but don’t think the second bit is.” Arthur frowned at him, and Merlin shrugged. “If she thought so, she would’ve ripped you apart the moment she saw you.”

Arthur smiled wearily. “That’s probably true.” Inhaling deeply, he stood back up. 

Merlin told him, “You’re a good person. She’ll see it soon enough.”

He walked away without a word.

*****

Gwen shut the door behind herself and paused for a moment to take a breath. 

Morgana was perched on the edge of the bed, face buried in her hands. 

“Come on.” Sitting beside her, Gwen hugged her closer to her side. Eventually, Morgana lowered her hands from her face. She hadn’t been crying. Gwen stared at Morgana as she stared at the wall opposite them. Though the practical part of her knew it was the same face, Gwen saw no resemblance to the manic and furious High Priestess there. Just the fierce and proud and generous friend she loved. It had been the same at the Lake too. She just....knew.

How it stung to think she hadn’t realised for years what Morgana had suffered. The only thing that was worse was watching her now, floundering and drowning in the awful truth of the past and the present. Morgana was lost and it ached to see her of all people this way.

“I almost killed him, you know.”

The words effectively snapped Gwen out of her stupor. “Who?”

“Uther.” Morgana didn’t move her gaze from the wall. “When he killed your father.”

“Oh.” A rush of warmth mobbed Gwen’s chest.

She continued, “Not because of the injustice done to magic; I didn’t know about my own then. But he hurt you. And so many others, in so many ways. He was a cruel, cruel king and a wicked man.”

Gwen waited silently as Morgana gathered her thoughts. Morgana tore her eyes from the wall and to her hands, folded in her lap. “And, in the last moment, the very last moment, I changed my mind.” A bitter smile twisted her face and her eyes glistened. “For a tiny, petty reason. A stupid, vain,  _ selfish _ one. You know what it was?” She laughed, a bitter companion to her bitter smile. “He loved me. He cared for me, and so I saved him.”

A dreadful sadness gripped Gwen. The contempt in Morgana’s face was for  _ herself _ . She took one of Morgana’s still, pale hands and Morgana offered no resistance. She took a deep breath of the brisk air blowing in through the window.

“Did you know, around the same time, Merlin asked me something. He asked if I would wish to kill Uther, if given the chance.” Morgana looked up sharply. Gwen went on. “And I said no.”

“No?”

“No. Because if I killed him, I would be no better than him. A murderer. That, in retrospect, sounds selfish too.”

“And now, once you know all that happened as a result of his deeds? Would you still do the same knowing what you know now? Knowing how many lives would be spared from ruination?”

“I don’t know.” Gwen though she understood now, why making a decision after being certain of the future could be quite a terrible thing. “But I know this: You may have killed him then and saved thousands of lives. But you would live forever with the doubt that the life you took was capable of caring, of redemption.”

Morgana frowned. “But we know it wasn’t.”

“That’s not-” Gwen closed her eyes and let out a breath. “That’s not it. You chose to give a man a chance when you thought he was capable of doing better. The world would be miserable indeed if no one was kind enough to give chances.”

She listened silently. The crickets chittered outside in the silence as Morgana’s brow furrowed in thought and pain. “Did I do the right thing then? Is that what you're saying?”

“I’m saying,” Gwen sighed. “Sometimes, there is no right or wrong choice. We make it and then live with it.”

Morgana nodded slowly. A tear escaped her eyes, and she wiped it away. It felt strange to sit beside her friend after decades. Morgana was Morgana, but Gwen had lived a full life, known life in such varied ways as she had grown older. And now, here she was, once again in her twenties with another lifetime ahead of her. It felt wrong that she had lived while so many others passed so early.

But they all had a second chance now. Experience told her they were rare and to be cherished, a new road to choose and walk. But to Morgana – so young and raw, with her first path so abruptly and violently twisted beyond her control– it was a pitch black path possibly full of pitfalls and traps and monsters.

That moment, Gwen swore to herself she would help her see the light in it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Morgana's POV!! Finally!!  
> This was one of my favourite chapters to write, I hope y'all feel it too ;)

There was darkness, and then there was this: a nothingness, not the darkest shadow discernable from it. Morgana's magic was being pressed down, squeezed to death inside, still fighting and writhing and trying to get free, like it had been for........ Days? Weeks? Months? It felt like ages. 

But the screams were the worst. She had closed her eyes a long, long while ago, palms pressed desperately to her ears to block them out. At first, they had been terrible, anguished screeching of a beast in pain, burrowing into her mind. It was worse when they became more human. She recognised them as her own, though she was too exhausted to make any sort of noise. Closing her ears was futile, since they seemed to be coming from inside her own head. 

When they stopped, she wasn’t relieved. Unholy terror filled her as she heard a chuckle behind her. She knew it well. She had grown up with it. Turning around, she found Arthur smiling. She would’ve thought it his usual one if not for the horribly familiar hate and madness that filled his eyes; the same light that filled Uther's at the mention of sorcery.

“We’re here for you, Morgana. You’re safe. You can come home,” he said and reached for her. She wanted to believe it so badly, that he had come to finally get her out, finally stepped up against their father. She would’ve taken his hand if her gaze hadn’t drifted to the other, reaching for the sword at his side simultaneously. Tears flowed down her face as she scrambled away, defenceless as Arthur drew his weapon, all pretense of sympathy gone in a second.

Her scream filled the darkness as his blade swung down, and she stared as he vanished just before the blow could land. Panting, she put a hand to her throat. It wasn’t real, it couldn’t hurt her. She would get through this, soon enough-

“Morgana!” 

No, no no. It couldn’t be. 

But there she was. Gwen, eyes full of concern and worry, hands outstretched. 

Morgana crawled forwards. Her voice barely worked with her parched throat, but the urgency still tore through it. “Gwen, leave. Leave this place. GO!” Not Gwen. She mustn’t get lost here. She had to leave before it took her kindness and innocence and simple courage. 

“And leave you?” Gwen asked, desperate. 

Yes. Even if it meant Morgana would be alone. She could do that much for Gwen. Morgana forced the words out. “Yes.”

And then, Gwen dropped her hands and smiled. In a way she had never done before : cruel. “You think I came to save you?” When she laughed, Morgana wept. “You think very highly of yourself, My lady. I came to watch you crawl. Like you watched and did nothing of use as my father was murdered.”

Morgana shut her eyes once more and clutched her knees to her chest. She wouldn’t believe this. This wasn’t Gwen, This wasn’t true.

…. Was it?

“No!” She told the walls. She would weather this out, and it had to stop eventually, though it felt endless now. She could, couldn’t she? 

“Not as easy as you think.” a bone-chillingly smooth voice whispered right into her ear, and Merlin grabbed her before she could go away. This was how they had been the last time, him holding her as she choked. But this time it wasn’t on poison, but her own sobs and fear. “A witch, that’s what you are. Why did you ever think you deserved to live?” He hissed, as she shook. With fury or fear, she didn’t know anymore. 

“I trusted you.” Her throat was too tight as she clawed at the arm around her. It didn’t do a thing to him.

“And why on earth did you assume I would help a creature corrupted by Magic? A monster?” he snarled.

Why indeed? She was an abomination. Selfish. Weak. Why did she deserve anything? Merlin was right. She felt all that she had fought for, believed in, burn away inside her as this truth took its place. She slumped back into Merlin, and gave up just as his harsh grip vanished, replaced by warm hands. They lifted her to her feet, and led her out of the dark. 

“You’re safe, sister. I will look after you.” Morgause told her. And Morgana wept into her shoulder in relief. 

Then everything shifted. Morgana was on rough, cold stone. Her hands were shackled to the wall, the jutting bits digging in painfully. She was starving. And a warm weight settled on her lower half, as a white dragon rested it’s head on her legs. They were cramped into a hole barely big enough for a single person. The dragon rumbled, eyes as weary and body as emancipated as Morgana herself felt. “We’ll get out. I’ll look after us.” She heard her own voice croak, almost unrecognizable. 

A blink later, Morgana found herself on a rocky ledge, looking down at a battlefield. Her forces were decimating Camelot’s army. They were winning. 

Till Emrys appeared.

The lightning speared through her painfully as she was flung back, and before she could hit the ground, she jerked awake.

Gwen was curled up on the bed beside her, sleeping quietly. Morgana gulped down the cool air, as silently as possible so as to not wake her. She had gotten much better at handling nightmares after she’d left Camelot, but she still remembered how Gwen had always come to her side, comforting and looking after her for all she was worth. 

Slipping out from under the covers, Morgana grabbed Gwen’s scarf from the bedside table and slipped out. Treading carefully, she navigated the living room and through the back door. Shutting it quietly behind her, she stepped into the cool, green grass barefoot.

The wind whipped a loose strand of hair onto her face. She realised her hand was shaking as she brushed it back, and clenched it into a fist. These nightmares were different, and worse than she had grown accustomed to. Once her magic found release while training daily, the prophetic visions gradually ceased. 

That didn’t mean the nightmares did. 

But this was different from anything before. These.....they felt like memories. The Dark Tower. They had told her she had been held captive for two years with the dragon. And the battle......Camlann. Where Mordred had dealt Arthur his death blow. 

When she realized what was going on, after Gwen had told her, she wanted to know all of it. What all Morgause had made her do, even after her death. Now, she felt......empty. Hollow. 

A footstep crunched on the grass behind her and she spun around, hand raised in defence. Arthur stared back, mouth a little agape and a little bug-eye. The same look he’d worn as a kid while watching Morgana train with the sword and he was still too small to do so. 

She pushed the thought away. “What?” 

He blinked and shut his mouth, looking sheepish. “It’s just....your eyes are glowing. I’ve never seen you do that before.”

She had cast an invisible shield between them, out of instinct. Lowering it, she scoffed. “I’m sure you have, considering the number of times we’ve apparently faced off.” 

“Well, that wasn’t you.” Arthur replied, jaw set stubbornly. Despite her own reservations, a tiny smile curled the edge of her mouth. He asked, “What are you doing here?”

“Am I not allowed to step out?”

“I- No, I didn’t mean-” he stuttered for a moment. “I just thought you would be exhausted after today.”

She was. Pinning him with her stare for a few long seconds, she conceded, “Nightmares.”

“Ah. Me too, if it’s any consolation.” He mumbled. She turned her gaze to his hand, and bit down the panic that surged as she spotted the sword. So dreadfully similar to the dream-

“Thought I’d train for a bit. Good distraction.” He shrugged, noticing her gaze. The memory of the dream melted away as she looked at his face. Weary, watching her with something akin to regret and something else she didn’t want to think about. He opened his mouth, and she just knew he was going to say something she wasn’t ready to talk about.

Before he could utter a word, Morgana turned and slipped back inside. The others' swords were carefully set aside in the corner, including her own. Taking it, she stepped out as quietly as ever. Arthur stood, back to the door and shoulders slumped in the moonlight. Striding to him in the centre of the yard, Morgana twirled her weapon through the air, testing it’s balance and grip after so long. 

The sound of the blade whistling through the air had Arthur turning around on full alert. Morgana tilted her head back. “Care for a match?” 

He stood still for a beat, then got into stance. “Why not?” 

Without any warning, Mogana lunged. He parried easily enough, holding off her offensive; he was pulling his punches. It snapped something. She growled as her blade sang through the air straight at Arthur's throat. He blocked again, eyes wide.

She smirked. “Getting old, Arthur?” Taunting always worked with him. His eyes narrowed predictably, and for the first time tonight he lunged back. They swung, slashed, blocked, dodged, struck. That hollowness from before was rapidly filling with a burning anger, and she snarled as they crossed swords. Arthur grit his teeth with the effort as he held the position. 

“You’ve gotten better. Stronger.” He panted. She smiled back, baring her teeth. “Training for months instead of flitting around helplessly in a castle tends to have that effect.”

Pushing away, she whirled and stuck again, and again, and again, till Arthur stumbled. She stuck the sword out of his grip, and knocked him to the ground. Standing over him with the sword positioned right over his heart, Morgana panted. His eyes were wide and glistening in the dim light, and looked straight into her own. 

“What nightmare woke you up?” She asked, taking a small step back. He didn’t move an inch or break his gaze. 

“The same one as always.” He swallowed, voice barely over a whisper.“Memories. Of what I always fear will happen again. That those I love will betray me once more.”

It wasn’t an accusation. There was not a hint of reproach in that voice. Only regret and pain. The Arthur she knew would never in a thousand years have admitted his feelings and expressed them so freely. He went on. “And then there’s the raids I lead during the Purge.” Arthur looked away for the first time.

He didn’t have to describe it. She had marched to his chambers that night after hearing what had happened, ready to rage at him till he had her dragged out or changed his ways. But just as she was about to barge in, she’d heard it. Cracking the door open ever so slightly, Morgana had seen Arthur curled up on his side, sobbing so hard he could barely breathe. And she had walked away. He was fifteen then, six years older than when she had first come to Camelot. That was the first time she’d seen him cry. And she had never despised Uther Pendragon more.

Morgana dropped the blade. Without a word, she offered him her hand. Arthur took it. He looked like he was about to say something, but then seemed to change his mind. And then he opened his mouth again, and shut it once more. 

“Stop imitating a fish, Arthur. What is it?”

He hesitated for a moment. “I’m sorry.” She pressed her lips together. Arthur went on, “I’m sorry. That I never was brave enough to step out of my father’s shadow entirely and face the truth in front of me. But most of all, I'm sorry I never earned your trust and became capable of standing by your side.”

Her eyes stung, and Morgana hated it. She turned away, blinking. How easy it was to say a few words and ask for forgiveness. But noticing the way Arthur too looked away without waiting for an answer, she realized he knew that. 

Gazing up at the stars, Arthur muttered, “I’ve never seen you use magic properly. Would you.....show me?” He asked tentatively. An olive branch. Morgana could swat it away and he would let her. And then try again. He was nothing if not stubborn as a mule. She studied his face, all pleading eyes and expectant looks. A look she’d seen thousands of times.

“I did the shield just minutes ago.” She said. 

And by the Gods, he nearly pouted. “But it was invisible!”

She raised a brow, but held out her hand, palm facing upwards. With a few muttered words, a golden glow burst from her fingertips and swirled and twirled its way up, forming itself into petals that shimmered in the air for a moment before she let go and they showered down. Arthur was smiling, that awestruck look back in full force. A strange something twisted inside her.

Longing, she realized. For a better life. For freedom. Maybe this was a second chance. But how could she ever step out of the shadows of what she had done?

“Good night." Morgana turned back to the house, leaving Arthur there and heading back to her bed. Lying down, she shut her eyes and waited for the memories and nightmares to haunt her once more. Instead, exhaustion overtook and she slipped into deep, dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to yell at me in the comments.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens.

“Magic is the coolest thing after- No, Magic is the coolest thing. Period.” Gwaine declared as he skipped along behind Merlin as he cleared their path through the forest. Arthur just rolled his eyes and trudged on beside the cheerful knight. 

“So how do we get the Sorcerer’s attention?” Arthur asked Merlin as he came to a halt in a small clearing in the woods. This was far enough from civilization to give them a good chance. Merlin reckoned The Keeper of the Unicorns would be more likely to show up here than in his backyard. Before Merlin could reply, Gwaine said, “Pretty sure you won’t have to hunt down and murder another Unicorn, Princess.”

Merlin bit back a smile at Arthur’s expression as he glared at Gwaine. “What’s with the names, again? I thought Knighthood had cured at least that propensity.”

“Nah, just that you were our King. But not anymore! My Queen is the Lady Guinevere.” Gwaine grinned, smug.

Arthur pouted grumpily and grumbled under his breath as Merlin snorted at his two idiot friends. “Alright, you can crib later."

“I don’t  _ crib-” _

Merlin ignored the indignant declaration and went on. “No killing unicorns. I’m going to send out a signal, calling for him.” Merlin wiggled his fingers. He had no idea if this would work, but he couldn’t think of anything better. Arthur and Gwaine stepped back and watched as Merlin closed his eyes. Taking a deep, focusing breath, he recollected the strange energy and aura the old sorcerer had and flung his magic out into the world. A single message, searching like a hound tracking a scent. Merlin felt his magic rolling over miles and miles, scanning and looking until-

There. 

Merlin’s eyes flew open as his silent message found its recipient. He let out a breath he hadn’t even realized he was holding, and reeled his power back in. Turning around, he found himself at the receiving end of two enquiring looks. “Done. Now we just wait for him to show up.” 

Gwaine stretched like a cat before plopping down onto a boulder at the edge of the clearing. Arthur, however, was intently staring at Merlin: head tilted and eyes narrowed to a squint. “Why are you staring?” Merlin asked with a squinty look of his own. Arthur shook his head ever so slightly. “Nothing.”

Merlin raised an eyebrow.

Arthur sighed. “Same as you. Wondering whatever could be bad enough, powerful enough to overwhelm  _ you _ , of all people. I mean, I know you’re the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the Earth,-”

“Magic incarnate!” Gwaine supplied from his perch with a beaming grin.

“- but,” Arthur resolutely ignored him and forged on, “the significance of that is still sinking in. If this.. whatever it is, could better you-”

“Then it is grave news indeed.”

Arthur’s eyes widened as he looked over Merlin’s shoulder. Merlin whipped around, and found Anhora standing in the middle of the clearing. The old man looked exactly as he had centuries ago, including the clothes if Merlin’s memory served him well. He bowed his head ever so slightly in acknowledgement. As they returned the gesture, he surveyed the three of them cursorily. “If Courage, Magic and Strength have together come to call for me, the matter must be of great importance.”

Merlin blinked at that, flashing back to the one and only time he’d heard those terms, during Arthur’s quest for the Fisher King’s Trident. Now was not the time to wonder about that, though. “Thank you for coming. There’s something going on, and we need your help to understand what it is.”

“Whatever it is, it’s evidently a matter of monumental importance, considering that the Once and Future King has returned.”

Arthur resolutely maintained eye contact with the man, unwavering till Anhora himself returned his calm gaze to Merlin. “My role in this world is decided, Emrys. I have no other purpose other than to ensure the well being of my charges.”  _ The Unicorns _ . “I am not meant to indulge myself helping everyone and anyone who asks.”

Before he could argue, Anhora went on. “However, considering that the fate of the world and Magic is at stake, I could give you some counsel, if you please. But that is all I can do.”

“That is all we ask for.” Arthur said. Anhora nodded and kept silent. Merlin took the hint and began narrating all that had happened. Through it all, the old ancient sorcerer’s face remained a veneer of absolute stoicism. That is, till Merlin described the vile Magic that had attacked Avalon. Merlin felt his own guts twist into knots as Anhora paled and his brow narrowed. 

“Warlock. Are you sure of what you are saying?”

“Yes. I am. What is it?” Nothing good, if it could rattle this person.

“That is what happens to Magic when it is poisoned.”

_ Poisoned? “ _ By what?"

_ “ _ An abominable practice, Emrys. I wouldn’t expect you to have even heard of it in all your years.” A shade of disgust passed over his face. “Ages before you were born, before the old religion was given its name in the years of the first of the Magic wielders, it was a practice to increase one’s might. Power-hungry mages sought others with magic in their veins, and took it for themselves, killing the victim in the process. "

One’s Magic was a part of them, like a limb or an organ. Taking it away on a whim, just to sate some lust for power, was a repulsive thought. And the amount of that thing which had choked him up last morning-

The memory of that crude, malignant thing creeping through him, the thought of someone being drained of their magic and- Merlin shuddered. 

“The stolen magic then became part of the culprit’s own, but it was no longer pure. It was turned toxic by the vile act. Those depraved enough to do this soon lost any restrain left, and stole from as many as they could this till they died of it. A body can only channel so much magic before it crumbles under the strain.”

Merlin swallowed and asked, dreading the answer even before it came, “And that means...”

“Whatever you experienced, it was strong enough to contain amounts of the Dark Magic to rival your own powers, Emrys. Nothing on Earth is strong enough for that, in my knowledge.”

This was bad. Worse than anything he’d imagined, and it was just the tip of the iceberg. They still didn’t know what exactly was happening. Oh Gods, how many had already died?

Gwaine, apparently realizing Merlin was in no state to do any more enquiring, asked, “Who could have the knowledge to do this? Even Merlin and Gaius didn’t know.”

Anhora replied, “Any proof and vestige of this ritual were erased from existence very long ago. I am probably the only one old enough to remember it.” He straightened, and gripped his staff a little more firmly. “I cannot be away from my task for too long. I wish you well on your quest.”

And just like that, in the blink of an eye, he vanished from sight.

****

"She was a very, very mischievous baby." Leon declared to Morgana, who listened from her perch on the stairs. "As I studied, she would insist we play till I was forced to stop reading and obliged."

Gwen snorted. "Right. Two year old me coerced you out of your studies? Moragana, you cannot believe him."

Morgana smiled. "If any two-year old could, it would be you." 

Shaking her head at the blatant betrayal, Gwen crossed her arms and leaned against the wall of the cottage as Leon went on. "I distinctly remember having to play the role of a damsel in distress, draped in sheets, saved by the valiant Knight Guinevere. Or Gun-ver, as she said it then."

Morgana laughed, the sound carrying on the pleasant breeze in the front yard. Gwen's heart warmed with it, and wished it weren't so rare. As Leon opened his mouth to reveal more of her embarrassing childhood mischief, Gwen saw the trio trudging back from wherever they’d gone.

“You’re back!" 

She jogged towards the three of them. “Did you manage to- Merlin!” She ran the last few steps. “What happened?”

Merlin was worryingly pale and sickly at the moment, and Arthur and Gwaine looked more haggard than a simple conversation could warrant. Leon followed just behind her, equally anxious. Arthur muttered, “We talked to him.” and stomped off to the house. They followed, and Gwen noted with a hint of delight that Morgana didn’t step away, but actually greeted Arthur with a nod. Arthur himself looked slightly less grumpy as they settled in the living room. 

Without warning, Merlin slapped a hand to his mouth and bolted out of the room. 

Gwen dashed after him, accompanied by Lancelot, unease twisting like a knot inside her. She found him hunched over, throwing up in the toilet. As he heaved his guts up, Lance stood beside him, running his back comfortingly. He sat back on the cool tiled floor and Gwen winced in sympathy as he made a face. “Better?” Lance muttered as he helped Merlin to his feet. Merlin didn’t reply, but just rinsed his mouth. "Sorry you had to see that." 

"Oh, hush." Gwen waved it away and instead scanned him head to toe. Was it something he ate, or whatever had happened in their meeting? She feared it was the latter. 

Gaius was hovering at the bedroom door as they came out. “Do you want a tonic? It could help with the nausea.” Gaius offered. Merlin shook his head. “I’m not ill. I’ll be fine. Thanks.”

He let Gwen lead him to the sofa and they sat down, Merlin naturally curling into her embrace as she offered it.

Arthur sighed exaggeratedly. “Guinevere. You’ve stolen everything from me. First my knights, now Merlin too!”

Gwen rolled her eyes, playing along to lighten the mood, and felt Merlin huff. “She’s infinitely better than you, dear brother.” Morgana drawled. The knot of tension uncoiled a bit; these two seemed to be getting along way better than yesterday. 

Arthur just sighed in resignation, and told them all what happened on their little adventure. Gwen didn’t loosen her grip through it all, and Merlin stayed still against her. As Arthur finished, Gwen felt Merlin let loose a shuddering breath. Accepting the steaming cup Leon thrust into his hands gratefully, Merlin wrapped his hands around it as though seeking the warmth as the knight frowned. “Do we know who or what could possibly do this?”

“That’s the problem.” Merlin fiddled with the handle of his cup. His voice was still a bit hoarse. “First off, whoever it is has to be powerful enough to control that much stolen power. And secondly, they need the knowledge of the ritual, which was supposedly lost millennia ago.”

“And who fulfills the criteria?” Gaius asked.

“As far as I know, nobody.” Merlin mumbled, glaring at the cup in his hands. Lance nudged him till he looked up. “Hey. We’ll figure it out."

“How!?”

“Contact Miss Matthews, for a start.” Arthur suggested and Gwen nodded when he met her gaze. The Druids were people of knowledge as well as peace, and their Chief had seemed wise. Also, if Jude Masters somehow tied into all this (as Merlin thought) and they were tracking him down, they should know about the scale of what they could be dealing with. Merlin made the call immediately on that thin rectangle of a thing he called a cell-phone. (Gwen was still very much confused about the phone thing; invisible waves in the air, and it wasn’t even magic!?)

It wasn’t Eva Matthews whose voice came from the phone; her secretary’s precise tones answered. Shreya Vattekar struck her as a woman of action and efficiency. Merlin relayed what they had learned and they all listened to it again. 

Though Shreya was as concise as before, her voice tightened with shock and disgust as she spoke. “I’m afraid we haven’t got anything yet. Eve has set the best of our people in motion but it’s like the boy vanished off the face of earth, ” she muttered frustratedly. Merlin sighed. “I get it, Shreya. Something will come up soon enough. Call when you find something, yeah?”

“Of course. Oh! Uh, there  _ is _ one thing.”

“Yes?” Gwen asked.

“There’s a number of people who’ve gone missing, in a particular area just about 50 miles out from HQ. The number of missing cases reported have jumped up a bit the last few weeks, but it’s not very noticeable now. I wouldn’t have mentioned it myself, but......” they heard her inhale deeply. “But an unusually large percentage of them are people born with Magic.”

Cold dread trickled down Gwen’s spine as she remembered what Arthur had just told.

_...sought others with magic in their veins, and took it for themselves, killing the victim in the process...  _

“How many?” Merlin’s voice was hoarse as the words came out. The way he met Gwen’s eyes, she knew they were thinking the same thing. 

“36, exactly.”

A still, vacant expression crossed Merlin’s face, reflecting Gwen’s own stunned horror. So many lives lost….. even after facing wars and disasters for decades, the sense of failing and helplessness never left.

““Find out where they went, what they did before they went missing. This has to end as soon as possible.” Merlin managed to speak into the phone. 

“Got it. I’ll catch you up once we have something. And...” Shreya hesitated for a second before adding, “Take care, all of you.

“You too.” 

Merlin hung up. The news of the missing people effectively killed any spirits left in the lot of them. Leon shook his head as he straightened up from the wall. “We can’t sit about doing nothing.”

Merlin shook his head wearily. “I know it’s frustrating, just waiting for things to happen, but-”

“Things are already happening!” Arthur’s voice wasn’t loud, but tense. He watched Merlin sharply as Merlin said, “It’s not practical! None of you know how to survive in this century, you could attract unwanted attention, you don’t have any proper ID-”! 

“If that’s the problem, we could go out in groups of two or three with you.” Elyan piped up, saying exactly what Gwen herself was going to propose. 

“That won’t work.” He said, which earned groans and sighs from the group. “The rest of you will be here, all alone. What if something happens?”

Gwen internally sighed. All these years, and he still took their safety as his sole responsibility. So long Merlin had desperately tried to keep Arthur- keep them  _ all _ safe without their knowledge and lost sight of what he was really doing. It had taken a combined effort of years to get him to work as a team instead of trying to spare others and take the worst himself. Now he was doing it again.

“We are all fully capable of defending ourselves, Merlin. We are not your responsibility.” Lance said, and Gwen blinked at the hard edge to his voice. He went on, “We all have each other’s backs. It’s not just you who has to look after our safety.” His tone softened at the end, eyes nearly pleading Merlin. 

Arthur cleared his throat. “I believe I speak for all of us when I say this.We may not have a kingdom now, may not fully understand this time yet. But it is still our responsibility to help these people if we can.”

Gwen took Merlin’s hand and squeezed. “You’ve done enough all by yourself. Let us now do our bit.” 

He looked up wearily, and for the first time Gwen truly understood, that he had lived for centuries. He had known peace and war and loss and love like none of them had or ever would. But she held his gaze steadily; he knew she was right-  _ they _ were right- this time. 

Merlin caved with a heavy sigh. “Alright. We’ll go investigating.” 

*****  
  


Few hours later found them poring over the largest and most detailed map of the part of the country Merlin had, spread out on the coffee table. Red dots from a marker showed the spots where the missing magic person cases were. Some sort of pattern was what they were looking for, but  _ this _ was just  _ ridiculous _ .

“This is too easy.” Arthur voiced what they all were thinking. 

“So we just......go there and ask around?” Elyan asked. He looked as confused as Merlin felt, staring at the dots that were clustered together in a twenty kilometer radius. 

“Could be some sort of ruse....” Lance suggested while Gwaine scowled at the pointers like they had personally offended him. That did make more sense than someone committing homicide and not making any attempt to cover their tracks. 

Arthur tilted his head thoughtfully.“There haven’t been many cases -killings or missing persons- anywhere except here.” He pointed to the offending cluster, and said, “It makes more sense to just pick people at random instead of doing whatever distraction this could be.”

Yeah. Directing all attention to the wrong place didn’t make sense when a random method would have them spread their resources thin all over the place. But it made even less sense that whoever it is made it this obvious. 

All was silent except for the sound of Merlin’s fingers tapping on the table as he considered the facts. Suddenly, Gwen asked. “How did you get this information?”

“I told you, Shreya email-”

“I mean, how did she get it? I presume she didn’t ask and gather it on a whim.” Gwen asked again, hands on her hip. Merlin shrugged. “Every case reported is digitally uploaded all over the country, and a few organizations and people have authorization to get the data. Shreya, fortunately, is one such person. Oh, if anyone asks, do  _ not _ tell them where we got this information because strictly speaking, Shreya’s not supposed to let us have it.” he added hastily, flashing them his most innocent grin.

A moment of silence followed as they processed that tidbit. Gwen eyed the map sharply and muttered under her breath, “None of us would have ever thought of that.” Louder, she clarified, “I mean the uploading cases thing, not about Shreya leaking us the information.” No one reacted, except for Gwaine who gave a silent  _ oh. _

“Because we don’t know how things work in these times.” Elyan mumbled as something dawned on him. Where were they going with-

Oh. Oh, gods.

Morgana said it before him. “And neither does our quarry.” 

Gwen smiled grimly in agreement. Morgana idly traced the red spots bunched together as she asked, “And how does one manage to end up here, out of their time?”

Merlin felt a headache coming. His voice was muffled by his hands as he replied, “Travelling in time is impossible for even the greatest of powers. All I can do is slow time.”

“And that leaves resurrection. Like us.” Arthur said flatly.

“That’s not possible, I would’ve felt it if anyone came out of Avalon. _ And _ Freya would’ve told us.”

“Could it be necromancy?” Leon asked tentatively. Understandable, since it was a delicate topic for them. Both Morgana and Lancelot stared pointedly down at the table as Gaius quickly replied, “Not likely. Necromancy just resurrects the body, the spirit and abilities cannot be brought back from beyond the veil.”

Lance spoke up, “I think it’s safe to say one of these two impossible things happened. Someone came back in time or was resurrected outside of Avalon.” 

“Well, it’s decided then. We’ll go check out the red spots tomorrow after breakfast.” Arthur declared. 

Merlin got to his feet, and surveyed the group with hands on his hips. “We have to be as unobtrusive as possible. So that rules out...” Merlin pointed to Percival, Gwaine, Leon and Arthur in turn. “you, you, you, and you.”

“Hey!”

“I can be stealthy!”

“Excuse me!?”

“Come on!” Merlin rolled his eyes at their expressions, ranging from hurt to outraged. Pointing to Gwaine, he said “You’re too loud and clumsy for any sort of stealth. All you need to get distracted by is a bar or a bakery. And you,” he turned to Leon, ignoring Gwaine’s imploring wide eyes. “I’m sorry, but you can’t sneak about or lie properly. You always look like you’ve swallowed a bug when you try.” Leon frowned but accepted it with a sigh as Merlin faced Arthur and went on, “And you, Sire, are not  _ nearly _ as stealthy as you think.”

“I’ve sneaked about Camelot successfully several times, i’ll have you know.”

“You just thought you did. I was right behind you  _ every time _ .” Honestly, it was abysmal compared to Merlin’s own record. 

Arthur’s eyes narrowed in suspicion and challenge. Merlin’s mouth set in a grim line. “Do you really want me to tell everyone?”

Arthur clenched his jaw and swore under his breath. Morgana rolled her eyes and said, “Even Geoffrey knew about the poetry you smuggled out of the library. And Cook knew where the pies vanished to.”

“That was a long time ago!” Arthur hissed furiously as Merlin sniggered, and looked absolutely betrayed when Gwen herself snorted despite trying to hold back.

Merlin recovered from the image of an adolescent Arthur skulking around the Castle, and turned to Percival. He smiled, unruffled by Gwaine still shaking quietly and repeatedly smacking his shoulder. Merlin sighed. “You’re just too big for stealth, Percival.”

He accepted it with a shrug and a smile. Gods, Merlin loved Percival. 

Well, the question remained: who  _ was _ he taking tomorrow? Gaius excused himself, declaring himself too old for it. Morgana too declined, as Merlin had hoped; She had enough on her plate as it is. Gwen chose to stay back, and Merlin didn’t miss her split second look at Morgana as she said it. And that left..

“.. Lance and Elyan. You’re coming with me tomorrow.” Hopefully,  _ tomorrow _ would yield some answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)

They had checked out five of the cases in the area before heading to the rendezvous point: a cozy little cafe in the city. Merlin scanned the place quickly and led Lance and Elyan to a table in the emptiest corner. “Who is the girl, again?” Elyan asked Merlin.

“Our only hope.” 

Lance rolled his eyes. “She was courting one of the victims when they went missing,”  _ Courting.  _ Merlin bit back a grin as Lance went on. “and she’s the one who reported her missing. Merlin’s being dramatic because this is probably the best chance we have at actually knowing something about the missing person.” That was exactly why Merlin was getting more excited every second. Everyone of the cases till now had been reported by concerned neighbours or colleagues, who were absolutely no help. An actual girlfriend would probably give better answers. 

“Quick recap: Victim’s name is Lisa Diaz and we’re her childhood friends. Leave the talking to me, and please don’t ogle.” The last bit was directed at Elyan. The interaction with the guy in crocs, however brief, had been exceedingly embarrassing. Elyan made a face and nodded just as Merlin’s phone vibrated, making Lance beside him jump for the hundredth time. Merlin lifted it, and a woman’s voice spoke, clear and even. 

“Hello? I’m here, where-”

Merlin looked over to the entrance and waved, catching the attention of a woman who waved back and came over. “Thanks for meeting us.” 

“Oh, it’s no bother, I work in the bookstore just round the corner and I'm on break. I’m Anya. I have to admit,” she said, settling into a chair across from Merlin, “I have no idea who you guys are. Lisa wasn’t very open about her childhood. And a lot of things, really.” 

“That’s alright, we haven’t been in touch for a long while.” Merlin said, a bit relieved about not being immediately found out. After introducing Elyan and Lance briefly, Merlin got to the point. “I’m so sorry she’s gone missing. Do you have any idea what could’ve happened?”

Anya fidgeted in her seat. Grimly, she replied, “Actually, we broke up a week before she went missing.”

“Oh.” That was a twist. Merlin didn’t need to ask anything more for her to continue.

“I had to pick some stuff up from her flat, give back my set of keys, but she didn’t reply to any of my calls. So I went over, and no one was there. She has nowhere else to go, and all her own stuff was still in there.” Anya looked up and fixed Merlin with a worried gaze. “I asked about a bit in the building, and her work. No one had seen her in three days.”

“I’m sorry.”

“So am I.” Anya sighed, and looked at the three of them speculatively. Merlin pushed back his nervousness, and looked sympathetic. So did Lance, and he was apparently more effective at garnering trust because Anya settled her gaze on him, biting her lip nervously.  Lance picked up on it, and cranked the empathy to an entirely new level before saying, “She was a good friend. Do you know anything that could help find her? We want her to be safe too.” 

Lance definitely had his own brand of sorcery, because all he had to do was switch on this mode and almost every single person spewed their deepest darkest secrets within minutes. As expected, Anya hesitated for a mere moment before spilling the beans.

“Lisa.....she has gone through a lot of stuff. You probably know.” Merlin did not, but nodded along with the other two. “Well, she didn’t handle it well. It made her have certain...  _ biases _ . It just grew and grew till she-” She closed her eyes and took a long breath. “I didn’t tell this to the police, I was afraid and turned a blind eye at first, just because it was easier. But she....” A look of revulsion crossed her face. “Lisa was a Harbinger.”

Oh, _ shit _ . Lance and Elyan wisely kept quiet and adopted surprised looks of their own, following Merlin’s reaction. “Why- What makes you think that?” Merlin managed after a moment of terribly awkward silence.

“She never told me, but I came across some messages on her laptop one day.....from other members.” Her voice was tight, and her hands trembled as she clasped them together tightly. “I....didn’t ask. We’d been together for months. Then I started picking up on other stuff. A couple weeks later, I confronted her. Once she made her opinions clear, I left. For good.”

The four of them were utterly quiet, Lancelot and Elyan trying to look as bewildered as Merlin did while obviously clueless as newborn babies as to what was going on. The Harbingers ........if they were really involved, that made the situation way more precarious.

“I don’t know what to say...” He mumbled, not needing to fake the shock or confusion. 

“I’m afraid she may have got tangled up in something dangerous there. She’s been missing for a week. The few days before I ended things, she spent more and more time away as well. She was....excited.” Her voice cracked, and she raised a hand to her mouth. “I’m sorry, but my break’s finished and I have to get back.”

“Ah...right. Thanks, you’ve been a tremendous help. I’ll let you know if we find her.”

She waved it away, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “If the authorities can’t, I doubt you’ll fare any better.” Merlin smiled sheepishly and shrugged. She nodded at them. “Bye. And..” As an afterthought, she added, “If you somehow do manage it, talk to her. She- I don’t think she’s a bad person. Just...lost.”

With that, she hurried out, leaving them alone in the corner. 

“Merlin, what was that?” Elyan demanded, turning to him the second she stepped out. 

“The Harbingers are...... a group.” Lance and Elyan leaned closed, and Merlin realized his voice had automatically lowered. “They’re a bunch of people born with magic, who consider those without innate magic as lesser beings who have unjustly taken over the world, and have no right to use magic. They are zealots of the Old Religion, and actually call themselves the Harbingers of the Golden Age.”

“So......like the exact opposite of Uther’s theory.” Elyan supplied and Merlin tilted his head. 

“Sort of. Only, they thankfully have no authority over people, so they can’t do a Purge. All they can do is propagate their beliefs, which is terrible in it’s own way. There are always people who fall for it. And..” Merlin sighed. “There are still some places where it’s not easy for those with Magic. Apparently, prejudices can never be entirely removed. There are incidents of abuse or oppression. Those with Magic could get more easily blamed for anything that goes wrong, denied their rights and opportunities. It’s a crime to practice biases, but......” He trailed off with a sigh. Merlin had re-learned to see the good in people a long time ago. But there were always things he hated. Despite having unbiased laws, people managed to create fresh arguments alienating a group. 

“Well, I guess things haven’t changed too much.” Lance sighed, looking weary all of a sudden. Merlin understood the feeling. “So our victim was a... one of those. Is it a coincidence?”

“Maybe, maybe not.” Merlin answered, sliding out from behind the table. They followed, and Lance sighed again in resignation. “We’re breaking into her home, aren’t we?” It was more of a statement than a question. 

Elyan perked up. “We are?”

Merlin smiled back.

******

The flat was ...ordinary. A little messy, but not as bad as Merlin’s study. He’d asked them to look for anything out of place or wierd, and realized his mistake when Elyan called him in to show the thermostat (Merlin regulated the temperature of his own cottage magically, but not everyone could.) and Lance regarded a collection of old vinyl with great caution and suspicion. 

“Just....sit here.” Merlin finally led them to the couch and scoured the apartment himself. Nothing, absolutely nothing. Her Laptop and mobile were in police custody, maybe they should sneak in there and check those out. It would be risky, with Lance and Elyan. He should get them back home and get the laptop later; turning into a frog worked well enough for him the last time-

“Merlin, you might want to see this.” Elyan called from the living room. Merlin wondered what it could be this time. Probably the TV remote. He walked in to both of them standing at the front door. 

“What’s that?” Definitely not a remote. Lance was fully engrossed, eyes running over a sheet of paper in his hands as Elyan shrugged. “It said ‘Harbingers of the Golden Age’ on the envelope, so we opened it.”

_ It what!? _

As Lance read, Merlin snatched up the envelope Elyan indicated to. Sure enough, there it was, with their symbol of the Triquetra. When had they started printing customised stationery!? Or writing letters, for that matter? Maybe they always did. Merlin grimaced at that when the date caught his attention. Just two days ago. 

“What is it about?” Elyan asked Lance, who was frowning at the letter. He handed it over as Merlin reached for it and searched it for any curses. Thankfully, nothing on that front, but it wasn’t an ordinary piece of paper. It was spelled, such that the caster could change what it read from wherever they were. 

“You can’t just go picking up letters sent by a dodgy bunch of people in a strange house!” Merlin snapped. “ It could be cursed! You could’ve....could’ve died or become invisible or turned into a parrot or-”

“Okay, okay, we get it. Won’t happen again.” Lance reassured him, though he knew his friends too well to feel reassured. “This is why I didn’t want to get you.” Merlin mumbled darkly.

“Hey! You would’ve missed this if it weren’t for us!” Elyan objected.

Merlin huffed. “I would’ve found it eventually.” Probably. Maybe.

Elyan threw up his hands. “Alright, O Great One. Now, please tell us what that damned letter says.” Merlin read the letter for himself as Lance read it out.

  
  
  
  


_ 27 rd October, 2015 _

_ The past few weeks have been a blessing, giving us the strength and courage we need, and proof of the Golden Age’s coming. We have never been stronger than with the Leader to guide us. It is our good fortune to be the generation of Harbingers to usher in the Age we await.  _

_ But it will not be an easy mission to undertake, and we must hold strong in the face of opposition and defiance. Even as we prepare to take the first step, our Leader calls us together one last time to give us the strength we shall soon need. It shall be on the 29 th of October , two hours after noon. And as always, your worth and our message will guide you to the place of meeting.  _

_ We all must be united in our trials, and hope you shall join us once again as you have before and realize our dreams. May the Triple Goddess be with you.  _

_ With faith, _

_ The Harbingers of the Golden Age. _

Merlin folded it and set it aside. Who even had enchanted paper letters when they had email? Was it a tradition of sorts? Gods help them.“I don’t know what any of that means.....The first step? The Leader?” 

“What do they mean, the Golden age?”

Merlin made a face of disgust. “A world where only the ‘worthy’ live. Those with Magic. Those not born with it......i’m not sure what happens to them.” Whatever it was, it wouldn’t be good.  This had to be connected to everything else. Maybe the druid boy- Jude- was also a part of this. If this was a power play.... a shiver of dread licked down his spine. Merlin took a long breath. “29 th of October ....that’s today. We have to get to this meeting.”

Elyan and Lance still looked pretty horrified as they processed the Golden Age nonsense. It was absolutely offensive that they adopted the same name credited to Gwen’s fair and peaceful rule for  _ this _ . Merlin could turn them all into toads just for that. 

“But we don’t know where it is!” Elyan helpfully pointed out. Merlin paced the hall. It was already 1.30pm, and the bloody thing was at two. Lance once again picked up the letter and regarded it thoughtfully for a minute. “ ‘Your worth and our message will lead you.’ ” He repeated, as though mulling it over. Merlin was always annoyed by such preachy, obnoxiously vague messages. Kilgharrah had given him enough of those to last centuries. All that stood for ‘worth’ for the Harbingers was Magic, as though there was nothing else-

Wait. Magic.

“That’s it!” Merlin smacked a palm to his forehead, making Elyan jump and Lance look up in bewilderment. “Magic! That’s what will lead us to their meeting!”

“...”

“Tracking spells. Simple, once you get the hang of them, and undetectable if you don’t know what you’re looking for.” Merlin muttered, pacing again. “But we don’t know what it is she would be tracking, it could be anything..” There were so many things in here. Checking them all for the spell in half an hour was impossible. There was also the very real possibility that it was lost along with Lisa Diaz herself-

“Did you guys even read the sentence properly?” Elyan asked, fixing them both with a dry look. “Your worth  _ and _ our message. It’s the letter.” He waved said letter at them, and Merlin grabbed it immediately. He may have looked for a curse, but a tracker....

“Yes!” Sure enough, his magic picked it up in seconds, like a softly glimmering thread weaving its way out the door. All they had to do was follow it. “Elyan, mate, I love you.”

Elyan had his most smug ‘i-told-you-so’ face on and Lance shrugged. “Come on, then. What are we waiting for?”

Merlin held his hands up. “Wait. You’re not coming.”

Elyan raised his brow, and Lance pressed his lips into a tight line. “We’ve been over this, Merlin.”

“You don’t understand, this is a bunch of people who would be only too glad to throw you off a cliff if they realize you don’t have magic.” 

“And a bunch of magic users have gone missing, probably already dead. Maybe  _ you’re _ the one who should not come.” Elyan shot back. 

Merlin took a long breath. “We have no proof the missing people are related-”

“This is the only lead we have! The chances are pretty high that it’s not all a coincidence. And the whole area is a danger to you, with your magic anyways. “

“Stop.” Lance firmly said, before Merlin could object anymore. “This is risky for all of us. We don’t have the time to debate if the disappearances and this group are connected. Let’s just go and check it out. You know, we are pretty much experts at sneaking about anyways.” He gave Merlin a sideways smile, and Merlin deflated. There was absolutely no keeping these idiots away from risk.

“Alright, let’s go.” 

********

“Why do you want to crawl through these  _ vent _ things?” Elyan whined quietly as Lance looked at the said vent in dismay. “You’ll fit well enough, but I doubt if me or Lance will!” 

“Well, you could always stay back safe here, and not get stuck.” Merlin grinned invitingly, and Elyan shot him a dirty look. “Okay, I won’t ask again. “ Merlin whispered. “The vents are the safest for us all. If we sneak in with the group, you two could be detected. Or I could wind up missing,  _ if _ the missing Magic people are also connected to this. No one will check up in the vents!” At least, that’s what he hoped.

Lancelot’s face was set with determination. “Let’s do this.” Bracing himself, Merlin crawled in, and heard the other two follow. The tracking spell had led them to an empty warehouse district on the outskirts, to one of the several identical looking, rectangular blocks of concrete. Merlin had scanned the layout in seconds, and discovered the basement where some people were already gathered. And where one of the decently sized vents led to. 

They shuffled and crawled along till they reached the grate covering the narrow opening into the basement. With a wave of his hand, he cast an enchantment that would muffle any sounds they made and would distract anyone who happened to look up at them, sort of like a perception filter. Hm, maybe he’d watched Doctor Who a little too many times.

More people filed in every minute, and a glance at a giant clock on the wall told him there were exactly two minutes to 2p.m. The vent gave them a good angle to keep an eye on most of the crowd as well as the dias set up, towards which everyone was turned. It was dimly lit, and the anticipation and excitement was almost palpable. 

Elyan and Lance were curled up in the cramped space beside him, Elyan cursing. “I can feel my legs going stiff. Is there no alternative?” He implored Merlin. Merlin shrugged. “I could turn us into toads, or rats. More room if we’re smaller.”

“Not sure I want to find out if you’re joking.” Elyan muttered, and Lance turned to him, eyes bright with curiosity. “So you can shapeshift, then?”

“Oh yeah. Other people, animals, plants, and on one rather memorable occasion, even a cloud.” Merlin grinned. Elyan shook his head. “This is not the time to learn such truths.” Meanwhile Lance looked like he was trying to imagine how Merlin looked as a cloud.

A sudden hush fell over the crowd, and the three of them went totally still. Merlin was the only one who could see out the grate, and the other two listened carefully. As Merlin watched, a man appeared out of god knows where. Something niggled at the back of Merlin’s mind. He addressed the group, “Friends, we are gathered today, as we have for several weeks, to be addressed by the Leader before we begin our Mission.” 

As he spoke in that somewhat monotonous voice, Merlin felt his heart skip a beat. He recognized the face. More gaunt and ill looking, eyes empty, almost unrecognizable from the picture in Merlin’s phone. “It’s the druid boy.” He whispered to Lance and Elyan.

“Jude Masters?”

Merlin nodded, eyes fixed on the scene below them. Jude stepped off the dais, still wearing a strangely blank expression, and the entire congregation bowed together to the empty dais. Only, as they moved, a hooded figure materialized in the centre of the stage and threw back its hood. Head was held high and proud, golden hair curling over shoulders, looking down at all the kneeling people. 

_ No....no...no _

Merlin would’ve fallen right out the grate into the group if it weren’t for Lance holding him back. His heart stopped beating and his mouth went dry. This wasn’t possible. This was  _ impossible. _ It made no sense. Everything around them seemed to screech to a standstill as the woman smirked at those before her. The same one he’d seen centuries ago, standing by the throne as Morgana sat in it. Used her as a puppet. 

Before them stood the Leader of the Harbingers.  Morgause.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twist!! (at least, I hope it was :l)
> 
> Leave a comment or a Kudos if you like!! :D


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)

When in Camelot, the nightmares had led to a dire loss of appetite. But once Morgana actually started using her magic.........well, the opposite happened. Arthur watched in unconcealed horror as she scarfed down a pile of waffles larger than his own. “How are you eating that much?”

She smiled sweetly, and swallowed the last piece. Waffles really were her favourite thing in the 21st century. “Magic.” she wiggled her fingers at him, and Arthur rolled his eyes. 

“Lady Morgana. Princess.” Gwaine took a seat beside them, way too bright for this early in the morning. “What’s the discussion about?” He beamed between them, and Morgana found joy in Arthur’s grimace and he tried to shoo him away with a ‘none of your business’.

“Well, Morgana, your brother is being really uncooperative today.” Gwaine told her matter-of-factly. Morgana smiled back tentatively. She would hardly expect him to look at her, leave alone talk. Yet here he was, talking familiarly, easily. He was either very very kind or very very stupid. But she couldn’t deny that it made her feel better.... more included. 

“Arthur’s just mad that I beat his waffle count.”

“Oh! How many did he do ?” 

“Ten.”

“And how much did you manage?

Morgana smirked. “Thirteen.”

Gwaine laughed out loud. “Oh, that’s quite impressive. Though I beat all of you.”

From the kitchen, Leon yelled, “Sixteen bloody waffles. What’s wrong with your stomach, Gwaine?” Percival grumbled in the background, “You’re not the one making them, are you?”

Gwaine grimaced. “Sorry folks, I have to win back his heart.” He sighed and clapped Arthur on his back. “Can’t have the husband upset with you, eh?” and strode off to the Kitchen. Arthur, for his part, looked like someone had just told him he was a toad.

“What’s wrong with you?” Morgana asked, and he managed to mumble, “Husband?” Morgana raised a brow. “Well, i’m not really surprised. They’re obviously together.”

Arthur stared. “Obviously what!? They were always like that!”

Ah. Oblivious, as always. “They’re squished into the same bloody armchair together half the time, Arthur.” 

Gwen chose that moment to arrive, and Arthur called out. She looked at him, bemused. “What’s got you in a state?”

“Why did you never tell me Gwaine and Percival were married? When did it even happen? Was I not even invited?”

“You were dead, Arthur.” Gwen deadpanned, and Morgana tried really hard not to snort. And failed.

“Ah.” Arthur still looked confused, but seemed to be sufficiently placated when Gwen pecked him on his cheek. While Morgana was currently not the happiest she had ever been, seeing these two together did have a calming, maybe even a cheerful effect. Contentment didn’t feel quite as unattainable as it did otherwise.

*****

Morgana woke with a gasp and found the wooden ceiling staring back. 

Arthur yelped and nearly jumped right out of the armchair as she jolted up, feeling the cold sweat on her forehead. Her chest felt tight. Taking deep, long breaths, she focused on drinking the glass of water Arthur offered, after gathering his wits. 

“I..”

He shrugged. “It’s perfectly fine. You nodded off on the sofa, and Guinevere said didn’t get a good night’s sleep, so I let you be.” 

Morgana took in the daylight streaming in through the window, and the fact that the living room was empty; everyone else was apparently making most of the sun. 

Or keeping their distance from you, a voice inside her whispered. 

Burn in hell, she told it. As the disorientation of waking suddenly faded, the vision that had seared into her mind got less blurred.

“It wasn’t a memory this time, Arthur. These were visions of the future.” Morgana got off the sofa and headed to the washroom in a daze. Splashing herself with cold water seemed like a really good idea right now, so that’s what she did. Pushing down her rising tension, Morgana stared at her reflection in the mirror. Hair dishevelled, pale and eyes wide awake and a little wide. The scenes flashed again in her mind. 

“Are you sure?” Arthur appeared at the door, concern furrowing his brow. 

“Yes. I can’t explain it but...I could sense it.” 

He accepted it with a nod. “Alright. So what was it?”

Morgana braced her hands on the edge of the sink, and took a deep breath to make sure her voice didn’t waver. “Call the others. We need to talk.”

****

“Merlin. What is it?”

“Merlin!”

“What’s happening to him?” Elyan whispered, bewildered by Merlin’s face, which was probably very pale. Lance called his name again. Taking a deep long breath, Merlin shut his eyes. This...they could handle this. He couldn’t lose his marbles now. Elyan and Lance were with him, this was the wrong time to have a bloody panic attack.

“I’m fine.” Merlin said, though he wasn’t quite sure how true that was. His hands were trembling like leaves in the wind. Clenching them into fists, Merlin faced the other two (quite a feat in this crowded little spot). “The Leader, it’s...it’s Morgause.” A wave of cold crashed through him as the name escaped his lips, and the two knights stared back. 

“How is that possible? She died years ago.” 

“So did we.” Lance shook his head. "Maybe what she’s saying will give us a clue.” Merlin turned back to the grate. Pushing away all the thoughts swirling in him for the moment, he focused on Morgause’s words.

That smirk of her’s had turned into an unsettlingly kind smile. The smile of a snake. She sounded benevolent as she addressed those before her. “- been dreaming of the Blessed Day when we shall commence out Mission, thanks to Her blessings and Jude’s diligence.” She waved her hand towards the boy beside her, who bowed at the acknowledgement. “But as you know, we begin tonight. For tomorrow’s conquest will be the seed that grows into a forest, watered and fed by our loyalty, and faith, and devotion.”

“You have all been informed in advance of your role for tonight at the Druid’s keep. Through me, The Morrigan herself has spoken and decided the course of action. It will be indeed regretful if any one of you fails to arrive or decides to betray her.” Her face was kind as ever, but the harde edge of voice made it pretty clear to Merlin what the consequences would be. The idiots below them listened with rapt attention and devotion. Absolute, brainwashed imbeciles. Most of them were barely adults, for Gods’ sake!

She went on for quite a while, rambling something or the other about the Morrigan, the Blessed day, and their faith. Merlin’s legs had gone numb by the time she ended. 

“Before we pray for the blessings of the Phantom Queen to be with us on the morrow, if there is anyone who wants to step back, this is your final chance. ” Oh, she was baiting them. She may sound kind and understanding, but Merlin saw the warning glittering in her eyes. He crossed his fingers, praying none of them were dumb enough to actually speak up.

Of course, he was wrong.

“Leader.” A voice spoke from the far corner, belonging to a middle aged man. He looked ordinary, like any man who Merlin could bump into at the park, not smack in the middle of a cult meeting. Most of them did. The three of them grimaced in the vents as they heard the man. “I have a young daughter, just six years old. She will have no one if something were to happen to me. Please, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can do it.”

Merlin’s gut twisted as Morgause smiled again. “Family is important, and the children are our future. But I regret that you value them over your faith. You are pardoned.” She said, and some disgusted looks were shot at the man, standing nervously in the crowd. 

“Anyone else?” Morgause asked, and no one moved. She nodded. “Very well. We shall pray now.”

Surprisingly enough, their prayer did not involve human or even animal sacrifice. Morgause dismissed them all with a 'blessing' , and as they slowly filed out, Merlin noticed Jude Masters slip through the crowd and pull someone discreetly to the side. It was the man who'd spoken earlier. 

Merlin’s heart picked up its pace as the room emptied, and the man was led to Morgause, who had stepped down from the dais. “You have stepped away, quit the Mission.” She said softly, and the man trembled before her. “I- I am s-” he stuttered, and she held up a hand to silence him.

“All excuses. If you weren’t prepared to risk everything for the New Age, then why did you come here at all? But The Morrigan is merciful, and so am I. If you like, there is a way to atone.” She was circling him like a shark as she spoke. Merlin’s palms were sweating, and his mind raced desperately. How the hell could he get this guy out without Morgause finding them?

Meanwhile, the man nodded eagerly, looking a little relieved by her words. “What do I have to do?” He asked. She was behind him now, and her smile turned into a smirk as she pressed a hand to his back. “Oh, nothing very difficult.”

Then a lot of things happened within a matter of seconds.

Merlin flinched as her power unfurled, and before it could reach him, a flick of his hand had Morgause and the druid boy crashing into the opposite walls, away from the man watching it happen in fresh horror. Another blast shot the grate off its hinges, and Merlin dropped down, followed closely by Lance and Elyan. Morgause and Jude were slumped on the floor, but wouldn’t stay that way for long.

Merlin gripped the trembling man’s arm as Lance and Elyan got the hint and held on too. Just as Morgause began to stir, Merlin’s eyes flashed and they vanished into the dark.

****

The reappeared in an alley, just a couple streets away from the cafe they had been in earlier. The man looked more terrified than bewildered, and was trembling head to foot. “Please, don’t kill-”

“You think we would've got you out if we wanted you dead?” Elyan snapped at him, and the man flinched away. 

Merlin walked up to him. “Look at me.” The man did as told. Merlin’s voice was sharp and commanding as he told him, “Stay away from the Harbingers. Don’t look back, and move as far away as you can with your daughter. It’s not worth losing those you love.” His eyes glowed golden as he ended with , “You will forget everything that happened in those meetings and everything about us. Go.”

The man’s face went a bit slack. He blinked, and marched away in a hurry. Lance looked at Merlin, leaning against a wall and looking a bit sick. “Are you alright?"

Lance grimaced. “This...vanishing and reappearing doesn't agree with my stomach.” He took a deep breath, and stood straight again. “What did you do to the man?”

“Erased the memory of us..... and strongly suggested that he leave before things got worse. “ The three of them stared in silence for a few moments, before Merlin spoke up. 

“It was her. The dark magic at Avalon. It was Morgause. I felt it now."

Elyan hung his head in silence, kicking viciously at a stone on the floor. Lance sighed. “Are you alright, Merlin?”

“I.....I don’t understand how she’s here. She was not that powerful before, she cannot act as conduit to that much power.” Merlin passed his hand over his face. Even the smallest hint of that poisonous magic made him want to hurl. “And something’s happening soon. We have to go back and warn the others and- oh gods, Morgana. We have to tell her about Morgause. We-”

“Merlin, breathe.” Lance held him by his shoulders, and Merlin did as told. Breathing was good. Yes, they would get home first. They could figure out the other stuff there, with the others. Merlin held out his hands. “Let’s go.” Lance and Elyan took them, and Merlin whisked them back home in a heartbeat.

Their sudden appearance startled poor Leon, who rolled off the beanbag with his book as he jumped. The three of them stumbled onto the sofa as Leon got up and brushed himself off with impressive dignity for someone who had just rolled off the beanbag. 

“Sorry mate.” Elyan offered with a grimace, but Leon ignored it. 

“We were waiting for you to come back.” His tone was urgent, and Merlin groaned internally. “What happened?”

Leon opened his mouth to speak, but apparently changed his mind. “I don’t think i’m fully equipped for this. I’ll call the others.” He made off to do so, and Merlin slumped back onto the sofa. He didn’t look too anxious, so nobody was hurt, and that was a relief.

Gwaine and Percival appeared with Leon from the backdoor, and Gwaine sighed in relief at the sight of them. “You’re back! Thank Gods you’re back. Morgana had a nightmare that showed the future! Morgause was in it!”

“What?”

“Gwaine!” Arthur emerged from another room, with Morgana who looking a little mortified and Gwen biting her lip with a wince. Percival disapprovingly nudged Gwaine as Leon pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. 

Merlin sat up straight, eyes latching onto Morgana. “Are you sure?” Morgana nodded firmly. Oh, no. This wasn’t good. This was, in fact, very bad. 

“We have a lot to talk about.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea how many waffles a normal human being eats
> 
> Please feel free to yell at me in the comments!! :D


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The action begins!!!! Introducing my fav OCs, Daisy and Buttercup.

Merlin fumbled for his cell and dialled the number, putting it on speaker.

“Emrys.”

“Shrey, Do whatever you can, shore up the defences. I’ll be there within the hour.”

“But-”

“We’ll talk when I get there. Just go!”

Shreya’s voice was firm as she said, “You better be right about this.” And then she hung up. Merlin turned to the others. “Okay. I’m going to call Aithusa for backup, with whatever help she can gather.” Thinking out loud, he said “This place should be safe enough for now. Winnowing in is too exhausting, I need to be as ready as possible for the attack. Aithusa could give me a lift, she’s pretty fast. I’ll-”

“But she can’t carry all of us, right?” Gwen asked incredulously. Merlin frowned.

“What? You’re staying here.”

That turned all heads to him, glaring. Arthur took a deep breath and stood up. “Merlin. You have done enough by yourself. We are a team here. You have to trust us.”

“Of course I trust you all! I just don’t want you to be at risk-”

“You do not know best every time.” Morgana’s voice was hard as she glared at him. “We are all capable of looking after ourselves. You be honest with us, and we will make our own choices. You have no right to make them for us.” Clenching her jaw, she added. “We are coming, like it or not.”

We will make our own choices. It felt like she’d slapped him across his face. The thought of any of them in the middle of a battle, susceptible to magic, was terrifying. But........he had once tried so hard to make sure everything went right, and where had that got them? 

Merlin swallowed, and nodded. Arthur smiled grimly and patted his back. Before he could open his mouth, Gwen stood up. “Prepare yourself. We move in fifteen minutes.” Merlin felt himself straighten up automatically at the command. She strode off to get her arms and the knights followed, Elyan smiling proudly at his sister.

Arthur blinked as Morgana shrugged. “Well, she has a lot more experience in leading them than you, Arthur.”

Arthur followed after them, a slight smile on his face. Morgana watched him go with a curious expression........something like surprise. Merlin could empathise; Arthur was vastly different from the prattish Prince Morgana once knew. “Gwen’s a good influence.” Merlin said, shrugging a shoulder. Morgana’s piercing gaze landed on him. “Yes. But it isn’t all her, is it?” The look on her face now was unreadable.

*********

Fifteen minutes later found them standing in a nearby clearing as Merlin called for Aithusa.

“This never gets old,” Gwaine declared excitedly, and Gwen agreed as the White dragon’s bulk obscured the dusk sky, growing in size till she landed lightly. 

Everyone except Merlin and Gwen stepped back as she landed. Her golden eyes widened as she spotted them all. “Gwennie!” 

Gwen jogged up to her beaming and hugged the white column of Aithusa’s neck. The dragon nuzzled her with her huge head and purred like she used to when little. “You’ve grown bigger!” Gwen patted her side, and in a show of great self-control, stepped away. Nostalgia for the times she had spent with the lovely creature centuries ago hit her all at once, but experience had made her adept at prioritising. But before Merlin could speak, Aithusa’s gaze turned to someone just behind them.

Aithusa rumbled softly, “Morgana.”. 

A flicker of a smile danced across her face as the dragon spoke, and Gwen turned to her friend. Morgana was looking with wide eyes full of awe. “You remember.”

Aithusa rumbled gently and bowed her head. She only ever did that before people she counted as kin, Gwen knew from experience.

Merlin stepped forward, looking both regretful and urgent as great golden eyes landed on him. “We have to get to the Druid’s headquarters. They are under threat of an attack from the Harbingers.” It was a little bit amusing that the dragon knew the political and social situation better than them, Gwen pondered as Aithusa visibly grew more alert. Merlin asked her, “Can you get us there?”

“I can manage four at a time, not all of you. But Daisy and Buttercup are close, you should call them.” Gwen remembered Merlin mentioning the other young dragons he had found and looked after in all these years. Merlin took a deep breath and called out again, making Arthur jump a little behind him. As they waited for them to arrive, Arthur turned to him. “Just to clarify, you named two dragons Daisy and Buttercup?” 

Merlin grumbled, “Leave me alone, I was having a bad century.” and Arthur bit back a smile. 

Gwen absentmindedly petted Aithusa’s side and suddenly noticed Arthur watching her. He looked both wary and awed. At her attention, Arthur cleared his throat and asked, “Uh….you know the dragon too?”

“‘Gwennie’ was her first word.” Gwen told him smugly, and Arthur chuckled. A sudden fear nudged at her as the thought of losing him once more occurred. Gwen resolutely set it aside before it could consume her as it definitely would if she were to dwell on it. He will not be lost to me again. None of them will.

The booming of two pairs of wings drew their attention to the sky once more. The two identical dragons circled the clearing before landing, one as graceful as could be and the other with a great thump. “Hey, Merlin!” the latter rumbled as the former tilted a head in greeting. 

“Quick intro.” Merlin waved his hands towards the dragons. “This is Daisy,” he said while pointing to the first dragon, and then to the other. “This is Buttercup.” To the dragons, he briefly repeated their plans. 

In a little while, Gwaine, Percival and Leon had clambered onto Daisy while Merlin was joined by Gaius and Lance on Buttercup’s broad back. Gwen climbed onto Aithusa’s back in swift, practiced motions;being able to do so without creaking and aching joints once more was heavenly. Arthur, Elyan and Morgana followed her.

Daisy soared into the sky with a single beat of her wings and Buttercup followed closely behind, the hints of gold shining through their dark brown scales. As Aithusa took off in a rush of wind, the familiar thrill pounded through Gwen. In front of her, Morgana looked like she was having the time of her life.

Arthur actually squeaked and held on harder as they ascended sharply. “Did you do this often?” He yelled to her over the booming of beating wings and the wind, voice slightly tremulous. Nudging him into a less precarious position best as she could, Gwen pressed back a smile; the first time in the air really could be terrifying. Arthur cursed and nearly squeezed her hand to death as they dropped a few feet, but Morgana and Elyan were apparently natural at this. 

She turned to see that Elyan was staring down at the earth, an awestruck smile on his face as the scenery gradually shifted from towns to the countryside, and eventually to dense woods. She remembered all the times they had clambered up trees as children (sometimes managing to drag Leon in tow as well), as high as possible, and imagined themselves as birds. Despite the fact that they were headed towards danger, fickle merriness danced in Gwen’s heart.

About ten minutes of flying later the dragons swooped down, nearly skimming the top of the trees before landing in a rocky clearing. As they got off, Merlin told the dragons. “Keep yourself concealed as much as possible. Stay close to here, and I’ll get in touch with more information, okay?”

Daisy bowed her head in response, and Buttercup mumbled deeply, “Got it, boss.” and the three of them melted into the now-dark sky. Aithusa had a lot of experience sneaking about despite her stark white scales, as Gwen recalled. After this was over, she was going to spend a long time catching up with Aithusa and Freya.

Gwen turned her attention to the clearing around them. A small pond lay placidly to one side, rocky outcrops from the ground lining the edges. “Come on.” Merlin led the way around the pond to an overhanging shelf of stone. The crack in the stone was hidden till you were right in front of it. 

“This way leads straight to the cavern we met Eva in.” Merlin whispered. “Only the touch of those who bear no ill-will can open the door at the other end.” Gaius led the way, lighting the dark tunnel with a dim yellow flame while Gwen brought up the rear with Morgana and Merlin.

“Merlin, wait.” Morgana’s voice stopped her in her tracks. She spoke softly enough that those in the front didn’t hear or stop. Gwen turned to Merlin and Morgana. The familiar, mellow light of the flame dancing over his fingers lit their faces and reflected Morgana’s resolute, purposeful gaze fixed on Merlin. 

“Yeah?” Merlin looked as uncertain as Gwen felt. Morgana looked between them both, then tilted her head towards Gwen, almost apologetically, and she understood. Well, not quite. Things weren’t exactly the best between Merlin and Morgana; what could she possibly have to say to him alone?

“Are you sure?” Gwen asked. Morgana nodded, and Merlin did too. “Go on, we’ll catch up.” 

“Alright.” She tried to not sound as doubtful as she felt. Despite unease stirring in her, Gwen left them alone and jogged after the faint light heading steadily deeper in.

*****

Merlin found the others at the end of the passage, frowning at the solid grey wall of stone blocking the way. It was cool under Merlin’s fingers as he looked for the small spiral shape engraved in the far right corner. He pressed his palm flat over it and let his magic flow free through the fingertips. With a warm tingle, the wall swung open and they stepped into the cavern as the door shut by itself after them. The cave was as large as ever, bright after the dimness of the tunnel. 

Unlike the last time, a large, circular table dominated the centre and three familiar figures stood at it. “That was fast.” Eva said as they trooped in. Merlin shrugged it off, but Gwaine helpfully offered, “We rode the Dragons.”

“Seriously?” Nina gaped in amazement as Merlin frowned at Gwaine. Eva cleared her throat. “I think you owe us an explanation, Emrys.” 

Merlin hesitated, looking doubtfully between Eva and Nina, and Shreya sighed. “She is ridiculously stubborn, and is here as the representative of a faction of the student body.” Nina shrugged like it was no big deal. Okay, they were including 19 year olds in their missions now. Well, it could probably be worse.

“So would you tell us why we’re shoring up the defences?” Eva looked at the group of them firmly. They took turns in telling the tale, and there were no interruptions till Jude was mentioned. Nina blanched as she heard about her friend with the Harbingers. “No way. He hated that stuff. He barely has any magic himself! You probably mistook someone else for-”

“It was him, we’re sure.” Lance told her softly. “I’m sorry.”

“If something is wrong with him, we’ll get him out of this. I promise.” Gwen said. Eva turned her sharp gaze to Merlin and asked, “So you have any sure proof that we are the Harbingers target?”

Merlin braced his hands on the table. “Eva.” He hated using this tone with her, hard and blunt, but they had no time. “Druids have actively spoken out against the Harbingers. Jude Masters was here, looking for anything on the old Wards over this keep, and he is with them and Morgause now. And I heard them talk about taking the ‘Druid’s Keep’. This is the closest thing to such a place. We can’t take a chance, better safe than sorry.” 

“I’ve seen this place.” Morgana’s voice cut off their argument. “This cavern. In the Vision.” A shadow passed over her face. “This is where it’s going to be.” 

Dread crept into Merlin’s heart again, as the conversation they’d had just minutes ago in the tunnel crossed his mind. 

“It’s night already. They will attack soon.” Arthur set his sword on the table and turned to the two Druids. “How many people are in here still, and how many can help defend the structure?” 

“Approximately two hundred. But only thirty eight are experienced wielders. The rest are students or young researchers.” Shreya supplied.

“How soon can you get them out?” 

“Those who were willing to go, we evacuated before you even arrived. But those left in here refuse to leave. They want to help.”

 _Shit_. Leon said, “This will be more of a hindrance than anything else, we can’t risk their lives-”

“Hey!” Nina’s young voice cut him off, and they all turned to her in surprise.“Except a handful of the security staff, no one here’s trained to fight. This place is a home for many of us. We aren’t going to run away like cowards and let it fall, especially to those assholes.”

“Language!” Shreya and Eva admonished in unison, but the girl went on earnestly.

“You may think it’s stupid, but we can really help. We do have experience with powers, though it may not be as much as the older druids. Don’t dismiss us, it’s insulting.” she ended, frowning and ready to throw hands with anyone who argued. With a jolt, Merlin realized she and the other kids were as old or older than he'd been when he first arrived at Camelot. 

Arthur pursed his lips, and looked around the table. When his eyes met Merlin’s, Merlin shrugged with a little tilt of his head. Why not? Arthur turned to Eva. “Those who want to stay can do so, and those who wish to leave can be evacuated, if that’s amenable to you?” 

When Eva nodded, Shreya suddenly turned to Merlin. “Oh! Um… one of the people who wants to stay? Meg Randall. Friend of yours, right?”

“Is that Meg from the Shop?” Lance asked with concern. 

“What are they doing here!?” Merlin demanded. With a deadpan face, Shreya crossed her arms. “They’re here for the Archives on Gnosticism in the first millennium BCE. Which, apparently, you advised for a paper.”

“I told them to do it on the e-library, I didn’t expect them to drive 50 kilometers for a Library!” Shit. Now that they were here, there was no convincing them to leave.

Sighing, Shreya closed her eyes to focus on getting the message telepathically to those above. Nina rolled out a plan of the castle on the table as Eva cleared her throat “Moving on. A copy of this is in the library too, so I wouldn’t be surprised if our friends knew these plans. But that’s fine,” she flashed them a smug smirk, “because these are useless.”

Everyone looked at her in confusion, except Shreya who cast her an unimpressed look. But when Eva had come to him with the idea years ago, both Merlin and Shreya had been very, very impressed. The Chief held out a hand to Shreya who promptly produced a marker -seemingly out of nowhere- and then started meticulously tracing out a bunch of lines and wiggles on the map. Shreya explained, “Few years ago we were subject to an espionage problem, politics and whatnot. Around that time, Chief here decided to change some of the layout without anyone noticing. On the surface, it’s the same as ever: The four wings and the Central Complex, all unchanged. But the network of passages....turns out it wasn’t much of a secret anymore.”

“Me and Eva closed most of the old passages, built new ones, and rerouted some existing ones.” Merlin took up the tale. “Only those who know their layout can use them, but no one except Eva, Shreya, me and a few of Eva’s spies know it. We left the old plans unchanged.” Gwaine whistled in approval, earning a flat look from Leon and Elyan. 

“It took months for the two of us to manage it discreetly, working every night.” Eva muttered as she traced an especially wiggly path on the map. “But it was totally worth it.” She finally put down the marker. Gwaine offered, “We could use these for evacuation if things go south, as well as moving groups from one wing to another; we have no idea which side the attack will be from.”

Eva turned to Arthur and Gwen. “We have zero battle experience. This is your area of expertise.”

“Going by what Merlin saw today, our opposition is equally inexperienced. And you know the terrain better than us. We all have parts to play.” Gwen replied. Before they could launch into strategizing, Nina raised her hand. Eva sighed discreetly. “Yes, Nina?”

“Um, are swords allowed?” 

Merlin blinked, as did Shreya and Arthur. Morgana’s eyebrows shot right up, while Elyan and Percival beheld their weapons and Nina in confusion. Nina looked unsurely between all of them, and the beat of total silence was broken by Gaius. “In the earlier times at least, the druids were peaceful people. They did not wage war or raise weapons except in defence.”

Nina spread her hands. “Thank you!” 

Eva nodded, smiling towards the girl. “And we still are.” She turned to the group once more. “Gentlemen and ladies, I am aware that your weapons are the most reliable defence for most of you, so you should keep them. But I will not have anyone dying at our hands tonight.”

The people Morgause had addressed were still fresh in Merlin’s mind. Most were young, and all of them had lives. How many of them were doing it out of fear, or had been brainwashed by Morgause? How many had suffered for their abilities and turned to this as a final resort? 

“A Knight protects.” Lancelot stated simply. “If we couldn’t defend without killing our opponent we wouldn’t be any good, would we?” 

“You have our word.” Gwen told the Chief.

Shreya, meanwhile, had returned to telepathically assessing the situation in the floors above them. Opening her eyes, she relayed, “We have a hundred and six kids and thirty eight people trained to defend.”

“How many of them can winnow?” 

“Three, not counting Merlin.” 

“We divide the group into five factions, one for each wing and the central complex. The North and East are surrounded by forests, so situate the winnowers in the South, West and central wings-”

As the others headed upstairs after the plan of action was set, and Nina explained to them the function of a paintball gun in case of extreme emergencies (Merlin wasn’t actually sure if that was part of their defence), Merlin found Shreya and asked, “How much progress have you made with the Shielding on the building?” 

“Right now we set up a few wards in addition to the old ones. But the old warding ....We got the best people to work off the texts. The theory is there, but....” She huffed frustratedly. He hadn’t expected much progress, honestly. That Morgause and her little army would be as unsuccessful in cracking it was their major hope, but otherwise.....

“Show me the text.” 

Eva fixed him with a sharp eye. “Can you do it?”

“I can try.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear there will be more Aithusa & Morgana content, this is just a teaser!!   
> I am also 100% sure there will be (or already is) a dumb plot hole. Feel free to yell at me in the comments :D


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Battle sequences are very hard and very fun to write. Also, BAMF! Morgana, can't go wrong with that.

“ _Dreng êacen galdorcræft un−l¯æd unorne, onfindan êower ðenden and me. Strangnes un−l¯æd Dagda hygecræft ðâ môdgeðôht, sê ellen orgilde Lug campwudu, sê crêasnes un−l¯æd duguð mundbyrdnes. Unwâclic mid me lôc bêon ednîwe!”_

Merlin’s face twisted up as his magic hit the solid wall of wards and protection. _Please please please please...._

He stumbled back. This was useless. Maybe if they had more time and more resources, he could get through and talk to the ancient power, mold it and strengthen it. But right now, nothing worked. He’d tried brute force, sneaking in through a loophole (there were none) and even outright begging it to give in, but to no avail. Morgana, who had been getting their group up in position in the central complex, wandered over. “It’s no use. Don’t waste your energy.”

As much as he hated it, she was right. They were on the second floor of the complex. The Hall was empty and shut, and their team positioned around it. The forest lined the Northeastern wall, so that was pretty fine. They would stick to the front of the structure untill they were pushed back into a retreat. The others were spread out in different blocks, each with their own group of Druids. Morgana, to his surprise, had chosen to come with him. Probably because he was the only one who knew-

“What are the odds that we hold them off?” Morgana’s voice was low, meant only for him to hear.

“I don’t know. Morgause’s power is terrible. My description does it no justice-”

“I know. I felt it too.” _What?_ Merlin turned to her as she continued. “At the Lake. If I didn't have Avalon behind me while lashing out instinctively, I could never have opposed her.” Merlin had realized when she used her magic near the banks that she was the one who had saved Avalon, saved Freya from that dark power. She went on, “I think.....if it were not Morgause who had attacked,” her voice caught on the name, “I wouldn’t have come back. It felt like a weight was lifted off me.”

“I can’t say I know what happened, but the part of her power that she put over you could have returned to her then.”

“Good. I want no part of it.” Merlin looked at her sideways as she stared out the small window into the night. This was the same person who had saved a young child’s life at her own risk, opposed a tyrant despite the fact that he could and did hurt her, went through betrayal and violation, and despite what her visions threatened, still stood defiantly with them. His mind flashed back to their talk in the passage for the hundredth time in the past few hours.

“Why did you trust me with this?” He asked. Her brow creased slightly, and she was still staring out the window as she asked a question of her own. “Why did you poison me, back in Camelot?”

“I..” Merlin blinked, taken aback by the turn in the conversation. This hardly seemed the right time. “Camelot was in danger, we all were. I had to make a choice between one person and the entire castle-”

“So if the spell were tethered to Arthur, you would have killed him?”

They both knew the answer to that. Merlin felt the old, familiar remorse twist it’s way into his heart. He had let himself be misled too many times. 

“Why did you believe it so easily Merlin?” She turned to him, and there was no hate or fury there. Just sadness. “Gwen told me about the Dragon and it’s advice. I have learned that destinies can be convoluted. But you found it so easy to believe I would choose to doom innocents to death? Why did you never give me a chance to even earn your trust? You never even asked.”

Her screaming and raging at him about this would’ve been easier to take than this. It had taken him years to admit it to himself, and still hurt in the worst way. “I was afraid of losing who I was. Of getting things wrong. And at the slightest of hints, at the smallest mistake, I assumed the worst. Instead of understanding and helping you out of it, I chose to doom you. It was all me. You never did anything to deserve it, I was a coward. I didn’t realize it then, thought I was Making a Difficult Choice, a brave one.” He scoffed at himself. “But after having years to think about it, I realized i was just......afraid.”

Morgana’s eyes shone with tears, and she blinked them back. “I know what living in fear feels like. It’s a miserable existence.” Her hands, which had curled into fists at her side, relaxed as she turned away with a huff. “You were sixteen when you arrived in Camelot, right? No one that young should even have to make such decisions .”

Merlin nodded, and she sighed. “I can’t blame you, nor can I forgive that. But I know fifteen centuries is a long time to face one’s mistakes. Considering you’re still moderately sane, I’d say you’ve learned from them.” The edge of her mouth tilted up, and Merlin returned a small smile. She looked at him and said, “You know how tricky prophecies can be, how they can mess people up. And you know not to trust them blindly. That’s why I told you.” 

Merlin tilted his head. “If you’re worried about it, I can winnow you back to the house in a flash.” She narrowed her eyes and shot back, “I’ve had enough of cowering before tyrants and power mongers. I am not hiding this time. I can’t watch people forced to live in fear for their lives once again, magic or not.”

“Then we’ll make sure of that.” Merlin told her. 

And as she turned to go, Shreya’s voice rang in Merlin’s head. _T_ _hey have started coming in through the old tunnels._

******

The first few hits were, as expected, on the front walls, but the wards held them off easily. Merlin snuck a look out. About fifty people stood out front, attacking the entrances. The other druid’s messages reported equal numbers in the lawns on either side of the building. The anticipation in the air was palpable, and you could cut the tension with a knife. 

The defence had two things going for them: 

1\. The enemy had no idea they were prepared for the attack.

2\. They were also unaware that the old passages were all either useless or guarded by druids all too ready to knock them out cold.

“I don’t think they’re any more successful in breaking through the Wards than you were.” Morgana whispered-shouted at Merlin as the thuds and boom kept echoing outside, punctuated by the occasional sounds of a Harbinger being knocked out as they emerged through the trick passages. 

Merlin would have replied if not for the sudden absence of noise from outside. They wouldn’t have got back that easily, right? He peeked out a front-facing window as Morgana did the same. The group was back as one, backing away further and further, ominously reminiscent of the tide going back far too much before a tsunami. 

And Morgause winnowed in.

She stood barely ten feet from the main door, and Merlin felt Morgana flinch back. That was sheer hate and terror in her face. And as Morgause slowly raised her arms, Merlin realized what was about to happen just a split second before it did. 

“Get away from the walls!” he yelled while sending the same message to all those inside in the hope they all backed off, because exactly a second later, the walls heated up like a furnace. Ignoring her slew of curses, Merlin dragged the petrified Morgana away from the window.

That was enough to pull her out of her daze, and she slid her hand out of his grip. “What is she doing?”

“She’s hitting the Wards directly.” It would slowly get too hot in here for anyone to stay if this went on. “But I’m pretty sure they are too strong-”

A loud crack echoed through the silence, and everything and everyone seemed to freeze for a moment. Merlin let his power flow over the Shielding of the building and paled. She hadn’t needed to figure it out afterall.

Morgause’s toxic power was corroding the wards away. 

“Morgana, shield!” She did as asked, and Merlin felt every strong sorcerer in the building do the same. Burrowing deep into the pool of energy inside him, Merlin raised his own arms, and felt every shield merge into one solid, protective wall, like a second layer to the rapidly weakening wards. They couldn’t feel the rancid magic yet, but Merlin knew it was just coming closer and closer, melting the ancient protection right from its very core.....

He had thought the encounter at Avalon would have better prepared him to face the black magic. He was wrong.

Merlin fell to his knees as the old warding finally failed, and Morgause reached their own shield. It felt like burning and freezing at once, his own power getting sapped with every instant. Morgana didn’t look any better beside him, face twisted with pain and effort as she held up against it. 

With strength from god knows where, Merlin managed to grit out. “GO! Get as many out as possible. Now!”

Morgana didn’t even question it as she dropped her arms and raced back to where the young Druids stood, watching with fresh terror. They could all sense the darkness. The plan was to get everyone out and retreat if things went wrong. And as Merlin pushed back, pouring all he could even as he felt his focus slowly dwindle, he realised they were going to lose this time.

And he felt himself drop onto the floor like a ragdoll.

******

Merlin jerked awake with a stinging cheek and a gasp. And immediately rolled to his side and threw up. He hadn’t felt this sick and weak in ages. He looked up to see Morgana, grimacing at him. They weren’t in the same room as before, but halfway down a corridor.

“Did...did you slap me?” Understandable, but now was not the time to take out her frustrations. Morgana, still grimacing, hauled him to his feet and to Merlin’s surprise, slung him over her shoulders in a fireman’s carry before striding away rapidly to....where?

“You weren’t waking up. You fainted.”

He swatted weakly at her hand. “I can walk, put me down.” 

“This is faster than you wobbling along. You were out for only a couple minutes.”

She pushed open a door with her shoulder, and put him down there. She spoke in hurried whispers. “Morgause is most likely in the Hall. They’re coming in through the front doors now. Front three blocks are swarming with them. Are your powers intact?”

Merlin’s head whirled. The fight was still going on, apparently. And Morgana had apparently come back for him. Pushing down the wierd mix of instant panic and a spark of delight, he looked checked. “It’s there, but weak.” Morgause’s stolen magic sapped the strength out of his own.

Morgana gave him a quick once-over and nodded. “We’re in the East Wing. If you can manage to get yourself out, do it.” She turned to dash off, and Merlin called “Wait! Where are you going?”

“There are three exits to evacuate through, and even with winnowing we can’t get them out fast enough. “ They hadn’t expected to fall this easily. “Arthur, Gwaine, Elyan, Shreya and the druid girl are evacuating through the West, and that’s the easiest to access from the front . Eva, Percival, Gaius and Lancelot are in North block. I’m getting to the East like we planned to.”

“I’m coming too, we should stick to the plan.”

“You’re in no state!” She whispered as loudly as she dared, glaring at him. Merlin shook off his dizziness. He’d been through worse than this. “I’m coming.”

To his surprise, she sighed and unsheathed her sword. “You’re as stubborn as an ass.” She informed him, and he followed as she slipped into the corridor. Merlin recognized where there were this time. “You carried me up to the third floor?!” Because Morgana had never encountered an elevator before, that had to be it. She simply shrugged. 

They slipped into Eva’s office and she opened the passage to their underground cave (Shreya had taught them the spell before they split off). Merlin’s head stopped swimming by the time they jogged down the spiralling stairs, and he realized something. “Where are all the druids? I saw no one-”

“Gwen and Leon already have the South and East groups down here.” Sure enough, muffled sounds of a crowd reached their ears as they approached the cave. Morgana stopped at the foot of the stairs and turned to Merlin. “What I don’t get is why Morgause isn’t using her power to locate and collapse the new tunnels. She didn’t exactly feel weakened to me.”

Merlin mirrored her frown. “I don't know, but what I got from that meeting yesterday was that this was all just the beginning of something. Maybe she’s saving it up for something.” Morgana shuddered. What new horror could Morgause be up to, if this was nothing but the first step?

They entered the cave, where Gwen and Leon were hurrying people through the passage. They heaved a sigh of relief at the sight, but Merlin’s senses were nagging at him. This was almost too easy a getaway. 

As if on cue, a deep rumble shook the whole cave, and an ominous crack sounded from the passage. It was collapsing. Merlin raced closet to it, using what magic he could muster to hold it open. People rushed, and Merlin felt what remained of his magic steadily drain. Morgana was holding off a man who had just appeared. A Harbinger. 

Gwen made for them, sword held ready as Leon helped an injured boy along the precarious part of the tunnel. Merlin could hear more footfalls coming down the stairs, they would be here in a matter of minutes. These people would be captured, or worse

Leon turned around to race back along them, as Merlin braced himself and yelled to him, “I’m sorry!” 

Leon halted in confusion, and his eyes widened as he realized what Merlin was about to do. The next moment, Merlin let go and part of the tunnel between them collapsed.

No sorcerer was getting through that huge pile of solid rock anytime soon. Leon would get the group out easily enough, to safety. Merlin turned back to the cave and found two Harbingers knocked out on the ground. They didn’t seem to carry guns, as expected; When one had magic, it was best to rely on it instead of weapons that could be turned against them. Morgana had her own sword out, and was combining combat and Magic with impressive precision. Gwen did her part too, using simple yet effective spells to throw them off and shield herself before getting in a hit. Merlin gathered the last of his powers to try and take them all out and-

That was when Morgana, after dropping yet another Harbinger unconscious with a spell, swirled around to Gwen beside her. A cold fist closed around his heart as Morgana’s eyes shone in the gloom and Gwen crumpled to the ground.

Morgana thrust the man she was battling away with a nod of her head. Apparently, her powers were recovering faster than Merlin’s. For a second, there was no sound except for more people trooping down the steps. Before Merlin could do anything, Morgana whipped around to him. 

“You can shapeshift, right? Turn into an animal. Anything small. Toad, cockroach, anything.” 

_What the actual heck!?_

“Fast!” she hissed at him, as the footfalls neared. “I have a plan. Trust me.” Though the words were hurried, her eyes were beseeching.

Freya had said the same thing. _Trust her_. And what Morgana had confided in him back in the passage.......

When a dozen Harbingers trooped in just seconds later, they found five of their people lying prone on the ground along with a strange woman, a smirking Morgana Pedragon, and if they looked closely enough, a small mouse crouched unassumingly behind her.

******

Lancelot wasn’t usually agitated. Even during most fights, he was placid as a rock, according to Gwaine. Well, it would be safe to say he was sufficiently rattled now. 

Gaius had been coaxed to go first, with the other healers in their ranks; they would be needed, since a few of the Harbingers made an appearance and put up a fight along the way. Eva was a very powerful sorcerer, turns out. She knocked out a dozen of the attackers, but now was disconcertingly pale; she had been already drained after trying to keep the shield up. As their team emptied into the tunnels, Lance had set out to find any stragglers to bring back. He found no one.

Except for a dozen more Harbingers. The entire castle shook, and the next moment he was flat on the ground, sword gone, hands and feet bound instantly. They lugged him along roughly to the passage, and any facade of calm he had crumbled as they entered the room. 

His eyes widened as they met Percival’s. He was at the mouth of the still open passage. Meg stilled behind him, where they were half-dragging the nearly unconscious Eva inside the tunnel. 

Percival drew his sword instantly, but Eva was in no shape to shield him from their spells. 

“No! Go away, shut the-!” Lance got cut off, earning a kick to his side that knocked the breath out of him. He gasped, watching helplessly as Percival ignored him and made to step back into the room. 

A flash of blue behind him caught Lance’s eye, and without warning Percival tumbled back, eyes rolling into the back of his head. Meg caught him as he fell, and their eyes locked with Lance as they pressed their hand to the faint symbol inside the tunnel, shutting it. 

The last thing Lance saw as the entrance slammed shut was Meg, eyes blazing and glaring like a demon. Though they didn’t say anything, the message were clear.

_You better come back alive._

******

Arthur cursed as the entire room quaked. Several screams sounded from behind him, where the group was making their retreat. Arthur hated retreating, especially just minutes after the attack began, but they couldn’t very well die like idiots.

Shreya and a young druid boy used their skills to help as Arthur, Elyan and Gwaine fought off the sorcerers coming after them. The commotion behind them was definitely a sign of new trouble. “What is it?” Elyan yelled before he could ask.

Nina yelled back, voice sounding strained. “The tunnel.....it’s falling in on itself.” Another rumble shook the whole place and Nina’s strained growl came from behind them. Was she holding the entire passage herself!?

Elyan and Shreya rushed back to assist her. They could handle this. The other druids helped as long as they could before slipping into the tunnel. Arthur could feel the sweat dripping down his back. This was unlike any other battle he’d fought in before. If Merlin were here, he could probably blast them away in a second.

_Please, let him be safe. Let Gwen and Morgana and him make it out. Let all of them make it out before it all goes to hell._

In one unfortunate instant, a Harbinger managed to bring down the druid boy who was shielding them. As he went down, Arthur felt his own sword fly out of his grasp, as did Gwaine’s. 

Resistance was futile, Arthur knew that. He still struggled as a couple of those Harbingers had him and Gwaine flat on the ground, and felt a tingle as something cool shackled his wrists and feet. He writhed till he could see the passage. Most of them were out through the tunnel but....Elyan and Shreya were gone, helping those who were injured along the path. There was no one to close it. 

Except for Nina, who was still holding it intact. 

Their eyes met, and Arthur knew, with cold fear gripping his heart, that the structure was too damaged for several meters. If she let go, the tunnel would collapse with everyone still in it. There was no getting out till everyone was further along the passage. Her face set into a strange mix of terror and determination.

_No....no.._

“No!” Arthur heard himself scream as the girl stood her ground even as the horde of Harbingers approached her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I firmly believe Morgana can benchpress every single one of the knights without breaking sweat.


	13. Chapter 13

“Would you rather end up like them,” Morgana gestured to Gwen spawled at her feet, “or will you listen?” 

The first two Harbingers raised their hands, and before they could say a thing, Morgana threw one against the wall and deflected the other’s spell. These people only had magic on their side, and were clearly untrained in combat. Blasting back all twelve of them at once would expend too much energy, even if she were capable of it at the moment. 

Even as her heart beat thunderously, Morgana channeled every ounce of hate she felt into her snarl. “I will drag your headless bodies to The Leader herself, imbeciles.”

That seemed to work well enough. The remaining ten of them went still, till one asked, “You are....one of us?”

“May the Triple Goddess bless us.” She replied. That sounded like the sort of things members of dubious cults said. Apparently, she guessed right because they bowed slightly as she uttered the words. “Where is the Leader?” She demanded.

“You would know, if you are with us.” Someone asked doubtfully, and her heart skipped a beat. She wanted to run. Instead, she turned to them with a withering glare. “I worked with the druids as a spy for her. No one was to contact me for the risk of discovery was too high.” 

They seemed sufficiently satisfied by that, at least for now. “She is in the Ritual Hall. We shall take you there.”

Morgana pointed to Gwen with a tilt of her chin. “This one’s _my_ prisoner. She comes with us.”

One of them handed her a set of shackles, and she secured them around Gwen’s ankles and wrists. _I’m sorry_. 

A sharp tingle came from the cuffs as they were locked. A brief prod at it with her magic told her they were dampers; They extinguished the magic of whoever wore them. 

She hauled Gwen to her feet, and led the way out of the cave, carrying her as gently as she dared. The little mouse, that is, Merlin, scurried after them. If the situation wasn’t this grim, this would’ve been hilarious. 

She willed every drop of authority in her possession to ooze from her. When her hands started shaking, she clenched them tighter around Gwen. As they descended to the first storey in a strange, metal box (the modern world was baffling), Gwen stirred almost imperceptibly in her arms, and suddenly went still. A classic trick: Do not let your captor know you’re awake. Morgana could feel her pulse pick up rapidly under her fingers. She prayed to every god she knew that Gwen wouldn’t lash out, and whispered to her as discreetly as possible through gritted teeth, “Play along. Wake up.”

A few seconds later, as they stepped out of the box onto the first storey (she saw the mouse follow them out of the corner of her eye) , Gwen stirred properly. Waking up, she quickly took heed of her surroundings, and met Morgana’s eyes. Her face was blank, unreadable. 

_Please, Please understand_. Outwardly, Morgana let her creepiest smile curve her lips. “Well, Gwen. Fancy meeting you here.”

Gwen glared at her, and muttered breathlessly, “Traitor.”

Though she chuckled softly at that and shoved Gwen forward roughly towards the Hall, Morgana heaved a sigh of relief internally. She knew Gwen too well, and that ‘glare’ she had shot her was most definitely not real. 

A well-cherished memory drifted across her mind. She and Gwen, probably eleven or twelve years old, just when Gwen’s family had shifted to Camelot, play acting their favourite story: The brave knight rescues the beautiful princess from the tower guarded by a Fearsome Dragon. They used to take turns playing Princess and Knight.

If only things were that simple now. If only she could save them all by waving a wooden sword at the air. If only she could be saved as easily. 

The enormous wooden doors of the Hall stood before them now. Taking a deep breath and tightening her grip on Gwen’s arm, she raised her head proudly, and commenced her most elaborate play-act. 

With a wave of her hand, massive doors groaned open abruptly, and a disorienting sense of familiarity set in, as it had just minutes ago in the cavern. 

She had needed to tell someone about the scenes from her Vision that haunted her, the ones she hadn’t dared to tell everyone. Gwen collapsing before her. Hurling these huge doors open and striding down the long room. The silhouette of a throne looming at the far end, which Morgause occupied. And worst of all, standing by her side as her loyal seneschal.

And she had been terrified of falling under Morgause’s control again. Even more so of the idea that she willingly sided with her. So she had told Merlin. He was, after all, most capable of making sure it didn’t happen

As she had disarmed the opponents down in the cave, it all became suddenly crystal clear. All she had to do was take control of the prophecy. Of her own choices. And so she had.

Now, she strode down the hall, dragging Gwen by her arm. All eyes were on her as she walked with every inch of confidence in her command. She approached the far end of the long room where a throne sat framed by large windows as high as the room itself, that is, three storeys. Her eyes passed over a few others shackled and kept on the floor. She quickly bit back the panic at seeing Gwaine, Lancelot, the young druid girl and.....and Arthur. 

He was not struggling, but held himself as straightly and dignifiedly as he could. As he took in the sight of Morgana dragging a bruised Gwen, his eyes widened. As if a switch were flipped, he lurched forward, thrashing till a Harbinger froze him once more. Even as he was still, his eyes...

Morgana tried to push it away, ignore it, but it still broke her heart as he beheld them in obvious horror. But all she let show on her face was a smirk, as bitter and smug as she could manage. As she reached the throne, the figure lounging in it rose. Morgana flung Gwen down between them, and smiled at the woman before her.

“Hello sister. I brought you a present.”

******

Strange as it may sound, Merlin had considerable experience being a mouse, so that wasn’t very disturbing at all. Sure, everything looked ginormous, but what was really scary was how depleted his energy was. He’d barely had enough time to realise he couldn’t turn back human till his magic recovered, before Morgana started speaking. She was being impressively intimidating in an entirely different way than usual.

After she told him of the visions, there was the looming fear of Morgause turning her against her will once again. That wasn’t going to happen ever again, Merlin had sworn to himself. But as she spoke, Merlin felt as relieved as a mouse could be. It was an act.

He followed her as fast as his four new legs could, and slipped into the elevator with her. Despite the fact that mice had terrible night vision, he retained his usual eyesight while shifting. Thank god for that. His ears twitched as he heard Morgana whisper to Gwen, “Play along. Wake up.”

It was reassuring, because Morgana was extremely adept at looking evil when she wished to. Gods, Merlin hadn’t felt this helpless ever before. As Morgana marched down the hall with Gwen in tow, Merlin scurried behind the pillars to the side, running parallel to her in the shadows. He stifled a squeak when he noticed Arthur, Lance, Gwaine and Nina thrown to the floor and kept there by the Harbingers. 

Merlin’s tiny heart sank as Arthur lashed out, only to be subdued with a spell. Anger coursed through him as he saw Arthur, Lance and Gwaine watching in horror at the scene unfolding before them, and crested as he noticed Nina.....she was slumped limply beside them, but still shackled.

If Merlin had a human face, he would’ve flinched at how Morgana pushed Gwen to her knees before the throne. Morgause rose, a flicker of surprise soon replaced by an impassive mask, as Morgana smiled. 

“Hello sister. I brought you a present.”

Morgause turned to the Harbingers in the Hall. “Leave.”

They all bowed before trooping out through the main door, except for Jude who still stood by the throne. She didn’t seem to mind. Once the door shut, Morgause clenched her jaw. 

“Spell her.” As she said the words, Jude’s eyes glowed faintly and Morgana bristled. 

“A truth enchantment? Do you not trust your own kin?” Morgana asked, eyes wide with disbelief. Shit shit shit. A truth spell was the last thing they needed.

Morgause ignored her and shot back, “How did you return?”

“Avalon resurrected me, when you went against it. It must be our bond that waked me from my slumber.” Her voice didn’t waver on even a single word. Morgause’s eyes narrowed. “What bond?”

“Surely, for those who share blood, their magic is also linked?” Years of living under Uther Pendragon had made her wondrously adept at twisting truths. Merlin was officially impressed. 

Morgause stayed still. “What was the last time we met?”

Morgana looked convincingly upset. “At the altar in the Isle of the blessed. I.... I killed you on the altar to open the Veil. You were so weak, suffering every second,” She turned to their friends chained beside her and glowered, “because of them.” She spat the words as they just stared. They hadn’t spoken a word.....were they being shut up by an enchantment?

“And why are you here?”

“To help by your side.” Holy shit, she was good at this. He would never have managed that one without lying.

Morgause waved a hand, and Jude broke the spell. With a genuine smile on her face, she embraced Morgana. “I felt your absence every second, Morgana.” Morgana looked revolted even as she hugged back, and slipped into the mask as she pulled back. 

“I’m sorry to have doubted you, but I had to make sure-

“I understand.” Morgana reassured her softly, and Morgause nodded. 

“How did you find me?”

Morgana’s lips curled in disdain. “They found me first.” She jerked her head towards Arthur and the others. “It was not all that difficult to convince them I meant no harm. I claimed to remember nothing, and they believed easily enough. They returned from Avalon too. Some prophecy or the other....they call him the Once and Future King.” She scoffed at the words.

Morgause, however, paled. “I was warned about this prophecy.”

“By who?”

“Later.” Morgause waved the question away. “What is important is to find Emrys.”

A chill passed from the tip of his tail to the ends of his whiskers. The others went even more still, and the following moment of silence was deafening. Morgana frowned. “Why do you seek him?”

Merlin’s every muscle locked up. Morgause turned thoughtfully to Arthur and the others. “He is key to your success.” She was talking to Arthur now. “He is the biggest threat I face. Two sides of the same coin, are you not?”

_How the hell does she know that!?_

Arthur’s eyes also widened in surprise. Morgause added speculatively, “I could make you tell me who it is.”

“No!” Morgana blurted instantly. Morgause looked to her questioningly, and Morgana scowled at the prisoners. “They too know of the prophecy, but nothing of Emrys. They are useless to us.”

“Hmm. This attack’s purpose was to find a Druid of rank. Emrys is one of them, they say. I hoped to get their leader....but these pests had to interrupt.” her lip curled at them. 

“I am glad you didn’t kill them. I have a score to settle.” Morgana smiled coldly at the captives while Morgause laughed. “Feel free. They are all yours.”

“But not now.” Morgana turned to Morgause again and asked, “What has happened to your Magic? I sense something different.”

Morgause set her lips in a grim line. “An ancient ritual. It pains me to do it, but that is the cost of fulfilling my duty to the Goddess.” 

‘ _Pains me’, my ass_. If mice could scoff, Merlin would have. 

“How did you discover it?” Morgana insisted, and Morgause shook her head. “I shall tell you later. But first, rest. Take the Northern wing, and my men will assist you with anything you need.”

“Where did you manage to get an Army? Times are different now..” Morgana asked and Morgause smiled. “You have a lot of questions.”

Morgana paled a little, but shrugged. Morgause said, “These idiots are nothing like an army. They are easy to manipulate with a few twisted truths. It is quite impressive how easily they believed I am a messenger of The Morrigan herself.” She looked vaguely amused by that. 

Morgana nodded towards Jude.“Is the boy so loyal to you that he doesn't mind you insulting his kind?” 

Morgause shook her head dismissively. “Oh, he can’t do anything of his own will. His mind is under my control, ever since he was made to help me return.” 

How did she manage to miss the anger that flared for a second in Morgana’s eyes? On the floor, Nina had woken up a little while before, and was straining to reach her friend. Something was suppressing her own magic, Merlin sensed. All this twisted Merlin’s insides. How could a person do all this and still believe themselves to be right? 

Morgause tilted her head towards the doors, and as she used magic to open then, Merlin noted that her eyes went solid black. It was uncanny. A few Harbingers entered as though summoned. Morgause ordered them, “Lead the Lady Morgana to the North block. And take the prisoners to the old dungeons.”

“Morgause.” Morgana called and said, “I would prefer to take them with me.” She jerked her head towards their friends held captive. ”There is much we have to....talk.” The word had never sounded his foreboding to Merlin’s ears ever before. Morgause agreed with a smirk, and her sorcerers escorted the five of them and Morgana out of the door. Merlin scrambled to go after them before the doors shut, and made it as the door slammed, missing his tail by a millimeter.

Gods, he hated being a mouse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you all tell that I am in love with Morgana?
> 
> Feel free to yell in the comments!!!! :D:D


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More adventures of Merlin the Mouse :)

Arthur couldn’t bring himself to put up any sort of fight as they were dragged along. The image of Morgana dragging Guinevere along and smirking with Morgause was seared into his mind, just as the image of her on the throne of Camelot, with their father lying broken at her feet. Like that of life leaving her eyes in that forest. Like the memory of her attempts at teaching Merlin to spar with a sword before it all went wrong. Of comforting him the day after he had returned from the raid all those years ago. 

This couldn’t be Morgana. He knew her. This was Morgause, using Morgana as her tool once again. When Morgause interrogated her, it all clicked together. She was never out of that Witch’s control. After all, Gaius had said there was no proof that dying and being resurrected reversed the effects of that Dark ritual.

He was thrust into a dark room, hands and feet still shackled, and crashed to the floor. He tried moving, and a spark of relief followed as he realized the spell paralysing him was gone. Hauling himself along the floor, Arthur bit back a yell as he crashed headfirst into something solid and flat. How easy it would be to just lay there, just give up and end it once and for all. How could things get any worse? Once and Future King indeed, a bitter voice whispered in the back of his head. 

Morgana was still being used. Soon enough she could go back to the house. She would probably tell Morgause where it was and they would raze it to the ground, or would be made to carry on the charade with those who got out and betray them all until everyone was dead at Morgause’s hands. 

Merlin...... he trusted her blatantly. He wouldn’t suspect a thing before it was too late. They had to get out of here and warn them before it was too late. And Guinevere......she must be heartbroken.

Arthur took a few deep breaths. Calming his racing heart and mind, he felt about with his bound hands and realized that the solid mass before him was a bed. It was too dark in here to see a thing. He had to get an idea of where in the North block he was. Considering the bed, it was probably the dormitories. Flopping to the floor, he wiggled and pushed himself along the floor. This was the closest he’d ever been to imitating a freaking worm. 

A scratching noise came from near the door, and he froze. It stopped. He resumed wiggling. And the scratching picked up once again. What was that? He strained to listen carefully. It sounded suspiciously like....

Was that a _squeak_!?

That was definitely a squeak. 

Cursing, he resumed the crawl across the floor. A rat, probably an infestation. He hated rats, especially since Merlin had made him that bloody stew. After what felt like eternity, Arthur reached the wall opposite to the door. He knocked on it. As expected, solid stone. If this was the second storey, there was an evacuation tunnel leading out nearby. If it hadn’t been collapsed to bits already.

He resumed crawling till he reached a small crack of dim light. A window. But it was too high to reach. He pulled himself upright, leaning against the wall. The sound of his panting was loud in the absolute silence. 

That’s when something scurried across his feet. Jerking out, he strained to see in the dark, but in vain. However, a telltale squeak followed and he tried to shove it away. Damned rats! 

The creature ran away, but to his horror, he felt something soft scurry right into his hands that were cuffed behind his back. It was smaller than a rat. Probably a mouse. 

Arthur tried to shake it off, but it was particularly stubborn. The poor thing lacked even basic instincts. Giving up on it, he refocused his efforts on trying to peep out the window. Just then, something clicked form the other side of the room. The door cracked open, and someone slipped in swiftly before shutting it. They were thrown into shadow by a white light held before them, glaringly bright in the darkness.

As the person came closer, their strange torch shifted and revealed their face. Arthur’s breath caught.

“Morgana, listen to me. This is not who you are! I wish you no harm. None of us do.” He had to try. He had no magic, but however mundane it seemed, getting her back any way was worth a try. 

She just pursed her lips and crouched down beside him. “It was a pretense, you idiot. I’m saving your sorry ass.” She whispered back, closely examining the shackles on his feet. 

Arthur blinked. A wide, probably stupid grin spread across his face, as warm relief snuffed out all the bleak thoughts. “You’re alright?” He asked, and Morgana looked up from the inspection to flash him a conspiratory smile before turning back to it. He’d forgotten how adept Morgana was at acting. “I’m going to try cracking these, hold on, ” she said, and Arthur braced himself.

After a few tries, they fell off with a clack, and Arthur groaned in relief as the blood rushed back to his feet. Morgana moved to his hands, and made a sound of surprise. “What are you doing here?!” she exclaimed and took something out of his hands. Ah, the mouse. 

Wait. Had she just talked to the mouse?

“You _know_ this mouse? You can speak to _mice_?” Arthur asked, sounding as bewildered as he felt. He couldn’t handle any more surprises tonight. 

“Don’t be nonsensical, Arthur.” Morgana muttered a few words and his hands were free the next moment. As he rubbed his bruised wrists, she helpfully supplied, “I don’t speak to animals, and this isn’t a mouse. It’s Merlin.”

“Why did you turn him into a _mouse_!?” Arthur stared at the mouse, who was now staring up at the both of them. 

“I didn’t. He did it to himself.”

The mouse- no, Merlin- squeaked. Arthur waved at it (him?). “You- Turn yourself back!”

“I don’t think he can do that. Not so soon. His power’s weak.” Morgana supplied.

“Then _you_ turn him back.”

“It’s beyond my capabilities, Arthur. We have to free the others and get out before anyone finds us.”

This was the wildest day of Arthur’s life, and that was really saying something. Bending down, he reached out his palm on the floor. Merlin scurried onto it, and Arthur stared at him. His whiskers flickered as he sniffed for Gods know what, and Arthur sighed. Depositing the mouse on his shoulder, he followed Morgana out.

In the room immediately beside his, they found Gwen. As they entered, she sighed. “Oh thank Gods. I was waiting for you. These cuffs are really tight.”

“You knew about this?” Arthur threw up his hands as Morgana worked her shackles off. Gwen bit her lip, and shrugged apologetically. This was not done. He didn’t know anything, and it was _outrageous_. Gwen accepted his hand to get to her feet, and pulled him into a tight hug. He sighed and relaxed a bit, burying his face in her hair. He’d though he’d lost her again for a while. 

“Arthur, why is there a mouse on your shoulder?” she asked, and Arthur rolled his eyes as Merlin the mouse hopped onto her’s for a moment before jumping back to Arthur. Merlin made for a very excitable mouse, apparently. 

“It’s Merlin. He turned himself into a mouse.” 

To his great confusion, Gwen just scowled at the mouse. “Not again! Merlin, we need to talk about this.”

Morgana interjected, “It’s alright, I asked him to.” 

“Oh..that’s okay then.” Gwen nodded, and moved towards the door. Arthur really needed to find out what nonsense they had been up to after he died. This was way too casual a reaction to one’s best friend turning into a rodent.

Their next rescue was Gwaine, who seemed extremely delighted by the sight of Merlin the mouse. Arthur really knew the weirdest people. They found Lance a little way down the corridor, which was entirely devoid of any guards. Morgana had apparently dismissed them all. As Morgana took his shackles off, Arthur asked, “You were in this block during the retreat, right.” 

Lance nodded, shaking the blood into his palms. He looked unfazed by everything, and had just accepted it with a smile and thanked Morgana as she told him what happened. “Yes. The tunnel should be mostly intact.” 

“Good. We have one last stop, and then we’ll go to the tunnel.” Morgana said, and Arthur turned to her. 

“Nina?” Arthur vaguely remembered her being brought with them. Morgana nodded. He would’ve done his best to get her out even if she had said no.

“She’s a brave kid, gave herself up to shut the passage.” Gwaine said as they crept along the corridors to the passage. “Kind of reminds me of Merlin.” He added, and Arthur would never admit it outright, but he agreed. Merlin, still perched on his shoulder, squeaked his approval.

They were turning into quite a crowd now, so Lance split off with Gwen and Gwaine towards the passage while Arthur accompanied Morgana to another room, identical to the others. As Morgana opened the door and they slipped in, Arthur’s chest tightened in worry. The girl was curled up on her side, motionless. Morgana rushed forward and spelled the cuffs off. He heaved a sigh of relief as Nina stirred, but the despair on her face was so very painful. Merlin squeaked sadly in his ear. (He was _very_ expressive for a mouse. Was it a sorcerer thing?)

As the girl saw Morgana, her eyes widened and she tried to scramble away. 

“Hey, it’s alright. We’re getting you out.” Arthur said, and crouched beside her. “She's with us. It’s okay, we’re going to be alright.” He felt her shudder in his arms as he helped her up. There were tear stains down her face, and a nasty looking cut on her forehead from where the attacker had knocked her out at the tunnel. She had fought even after the passage had collapsed behind her. 

Morgana looked as anxious as he felt, but they couldn’t linger for long. As she stood up, Arthur held Nina up as gently as he could. She was tired, physically and emotionally. Morgana led the way to the tunnel while Arthur supported the kid with an arm around her shoulder as she leaned heavily on him.

They climbed down to the second storey (they had been on the third) and weaved through a few hallways before emerging in a lounge, with a now-empty fireplace and many couches and armchairs, several of which were not upturned or ripped open. The other three stood warily, and Morgana immediately pressed her hand to a tiny engraving on the wood of a windowsill. The stone of the adjacent wall slid aside noiselessly, and they all sighed in relief as the tunnel stretched out, perfectly fine except for a few cracks in the wall. 

Merlin the mouse leapt down and ran to it, tiny nose twitching as he sniffed at the entrance. Arthur bit back a smile, and allowed Gwen to take the girl from him. They trooped in, and he heard Morgana shoo in Merlin behind him. A strange restlessness squirmed in Arthur’s heart. He turned, only to see Morgana standing on the other side of the door.

“Morgana, we must go. We don’t have much time.” The restlessness turned into panic, as Morgana tried bodily shoving Merlin in, but he refused and dodged. 

“ _You_ must go.” Morgana sighed. “I’m staying.”

_No. No!_

“Don’t be stupid Morgana!”

“I’m not!” She snapped, and then tilted her head sideways. Softly, she said, “Go. Take Merlin with you. I won’t stay here long. Just enough to find out what Morgause is up to. I’ll be back soon. Let me do this, Arthur.”

He knew the logic of it. If Morgana vanished with them, Morgause would get suspicious. But if they vanished under her watch...

“Morgana, it’s too dangerous.” _I don’t want you to get hurt again._

“I have a plan. I have to do this. Now go.” She had made up her mind. There was no debating her on this. And she had a point. Merlin seemed to realize the same thing, and ran back to Arthur. How did a mouse manage to look forlorn? 

“Stay safe.” Arthur told her as he lifted him onto his shoulder, and she smiled back. 

“See you soon.” 

The stone slid shut, and Arthur stared at it for a moment. Then he turned back, jogging to catch up to the others.

******

Mice are very easily susceptible to hyperactivity and excitement. Merlin really felt it as they went about freeing everyone, one by one. Now, Arthur was miserable as they found the other three waiting just a few meters away. 

He told them, and despite her own worry, Gwen reassured him. “She’ll be fine, Arthur. If anyone can pull it off, it’s Morgana.” Arthur nodded wearily, and they all looked worried. But they couldn’t let her efforts be in vain. They trudged along the long tunnel, Gwaine lighting the path with a torch that Morgana had somehow managed to procure. 

Merlin’s heightened sense of smell told him the exit was not very far, and he realized he had absolutely forgotten about turning back, given the excitement of the last hour or so. He checked his own power, only to find it had recovered more and more rapidly with time. Immediately, he shifted into himself.

Unfortunately, he did it while still on Arthur’s shoulder. They came crashing down onto solid stone. Arthur swore loudly and Merlin landed hard on his back. They were a tangle of limbs and curses and pained noises till Lance stepped in and helped pull them apart. 

“You- you dollophead! Warn a man before turning back into a human!” Arthur yelled. 

“Sorry! Sorry, I ...got distracted.” Merlin said, rubbing his back where it throbbed painfully. Lance was smiling, and Gwen and Gwaine were barely holding in their mirth. Even Nina looked faintly amused. Arthur rolled his eyes and marched on with a huff. “It’s not funny!”

“It’s a little funny, really.” Gwen told him, and poked his side. Merlin wiggled his fingers and toes. It was nice being back in one’s own body. 

Gwaine beamed and swung an arm around his shoulder. They started walking again when-

“Wait! I can winnow us out.” Merlin blurted, and received a few cheers in response. They were all weary after the ordeal, and walking more sounded like too much work. They gathered around, and a moment later, they popped into the living room of the house.

As they groaned and sighed and melted into the couch and armchairs, Percival and Elyan rushed in from the porch. “You....you’re back! We were preparing to rescue you!” Elyan shouted, as Percival beamed with the force of a thousand suns. Gaius appeared from the study as well, and sighed in relief before noticing Nina’s wounds. Elyan ran off to get Leon and Percival fussed over Gwaine.

Merlin crouched beside the kid as Gaius tended to her forehead. He smiled, and she returned it weakly, understandably overwhelmed by the last few days as well as the new people.

“Where do you live? I can take you home-”

“No!” She said loudly, and winced. “Just....nobody’s home.” 

“Well, tell me where your parents are, I could winnow you anywhere.” Merlin reassured her, but she just looked more upset. 

“You don’t get it. They’re probably vacationing in a mansion in the bloody Alps. I don’t want to be anywhere near them.” It didn’t sound like she wanted to elaborate; probably best not to push, especially after these last few days. He nodded, and said “You’ll be safe here, then.”

She hesitated for a moment before saying, “Jude....she took him away.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. 

Merlin’s chest tightened. “We will find out what happened, and we will get him back. I promise.”

She nodded, not looking particularly reassured. At Gaius’s suggestion, Merlin showed her to a bedroom, and she fell asleep in seconds. It was terrible to see her; sweaty, deathly pale and so painfully weary. 

“This is how it was, watching you suffer through Nimueh’s poison years ago.” Gaius said, resting a hand on Merlin’s shoulder. Merlin looked up with a smile. “After a few decades on earth, I started to actually understand how much I stressed you out all the time.”

Gaius sighed. “And I don’t know why I put up with all that.”

Merlin nudged him with a shoulder. “Because I am your beloved nephew, Gaius. And your ward.”

“The pain in my neck, perhaps.” He offered before leaving the room. 

Merlin turned to Nina again. She looked even younger now, asleep and exhausted. She'd just seen her friend used as a puppet, and there was very little Merlin couldn't relate with. 

She was getting her friend back, at any cost. She was owed at least that much. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a kudos or yell at me in the comments if you like :D:D


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)

The adrenaline rush had got her through all the past few hours. Now, as she lay in bed and stared up at the whtite ceiling, Morgana wanted to scream, thrash the entire room and drag Morgause to her grave. But most of all, she was angry with herself for letting Morgause use her as a tool in a bid for power. That’s what was behind all those reassurances for bringing magic back to Camelot and ending the rule of a tyrant. Only to begin a reign of terror of her own. 

It had felt so  _ easy _ to trust Morgause. She had a sister, someone who knew of her magic and didn’t want her dead. Well, Merlin and Gaius....... they didn’t know how lonely it was (or at least that’s what she had thought then). She had seeked comfort and when Morgause gave her even a semblance of it, trusted her with all she had. 

When Merlin had poisoned her, Morgause told her it was because of her Magic. Morgana had believed her. 

Sometimes during their training sessions, Morgause would rant about how Uther deserved to die, and Morgana agreed. But when she tried to show her how Arthur, even the people of Camelot were to blame, she couldn’t. Not when she recalled the stories Gwen had told her, of people resenting Uther for killing innocents, and many keeping magic users hidden when necessary. Not when she remembered Arthur helping her save the Druid boy from a gruesome fate. Or how he had been after the Druid Raids. 

But love blinds people, and her love for Morgause blinded her to how thoughtlessly she cut down anyone in her path, irrespective of their innocence. To how she manipulated others for her gain. It was terrible when someone you loved broke your heart. Morgause had broken hers, and made her do the same to all those she loved. Morgana would make sure she hurt on one else. 

She turned to her side, watching the sky change hues in the dawn. Strangely enough, she felt....calm. Determined. The mad anger seemed to have simmered down into ice-cold determination. This was probably their only chance at finding out what Morgause was upto. Thinking about it now, getting Morgause to divulge all her secrets directly to her enemy was extremely satisfying. It was only a matter of time...

A knock sounded on her door, and Morgana sat up as Morgause walked in. “Your prisoners are gone. And I hear that you asked all the Harbingers stationed there to leave.” There was a dangerous edge to her voice despite the outward calmness.  Morgana smiled back. “I didn’t want to be interrupted. And as for dear Arthur and his friends, they are most definitely gone. For good.” 

Morgause lifted a brow. “And the remains?” 

“ _ Nothing _ remained after I was done.” It was a little worrying, how easily the malice laced her voice. Actually, Morgause’s presence fueled it easily.

Morgause smiled back. “You certainly didn’t waste any time. Now that you’ve settled your score, we should get to our real quest.” She tossed a set of clothes on the bed, and turned to leave. “Meet me downstairs once you’re ready. We have a lot to talk about.”

Morgana changed into the clothes after scanning it for any enchantments. Pulling her hair into a braid as Gwen had taught her long ago, (unlike Arthur, she was fully capable of making herself look presentable without assistance) Morgana stared at the mirror, not really paying attention to the reflection. She had to be quick on her feet, like with the ‘truths’ she had uttered under the spell yesterday. If things went wrong, well.......

She shook off the thought and stepped out of the room. Any Harbingers she encountered as she swept along to the Hall hurried out of the way, just like they did with Morgause. Only, now in the light of the day their young faces were clearly visible. Packing that thought away, she reached the Hall and froze at the slightly open door. Morgause had redecorated. A small table stood to one side, strewn with some papers. The rest of the room was bare. Morgause herself stood in front of the large windows, just as she had yesterday. 

But now, a pile of dark, grey dust was before her. There was one more person in the room, one of the druids captured yesterday. Morgana had intended to free them by tonight, one way or another. There were only four of them, she would come up with something. Her chest tightened as Morgause hauled the middle aged druid up, holding him up by the shoulders. He looked stricken as she did so, her own face devoid of any emotion. 

And Morgause’s eyes turned black as the night as the man crumbled to the floor, disintegrated to a pile of ash. That’s what the grey dust was. And Morgause just smiled and dusted her hand off on her gown.

Morgana swallowed back the bile rising in her throat.  _ No, no no no. This was....no.  _ So blatantly  _ wrong. _ Stunned, Morgana wanted to run but her feet were rooted to the spot. She was too late. She had failed those druids.

As though suddenly sensing her presence, Morgause turned to her. Morgana schooled her face into a blank mask. As though nothing were out of the ordinary, like Morgana had just caught her having a cup of tea, she waved her over to the table. 

It took effort to keep her voice even. “Was that the ritual you spoke of?”

“Yes. I take the magic of others. It’s the only way.”

_ Now _ . The chance to find out what her scheme was came earlier than she’d expected. “Only way to do  _ what _ ? What is our goal?” 

“To bring back the Gods.” 

********

Morgause said it with total conviction, with a righteous resolution that made Morgana’s blood run cold. She may be an evil person, but Morgana had not expected her to be outright senile. Maybe something had gone wrong during the resurrection, however it happened. 

Morgana simply asked, “How”?

Morgause tilted her head, eyes narrowed at her. “You have asked a lot of questions, it’s my turn now.” 

_ Oh boy. _

“How exactly did you return?” 

“I woke at Avalon. Arthur and his cronies found me there, and I was at threat.” Morgana’s lip curled in cruel amusement. “I convinced them I had no memories of after meeting you. They thought it was the Gods,  _ blessing _ them and me with a second chance.”

“Clever.” Morgause tapped the table rhythmically, eyes still fixed on Morgana. “And why are they consorting with the Druids?”

“Some Druids found them at Avalon four days ago and got them here. However bad Arthur was, he wasn’t an idiot. He wasn’t going to go against the druids when they were the only allies he had in this new world.” 

Morgause stood, and walked to the window. As she gazed out of it, Morgana sneaked a look at the papers strewn on the table. They seemed to be copies of some ancient, unfamiliar script.  _ Dammit.  _ It could be anything from a letter to an incantation or a dozen other things. 

“And how did they know to prepare for my attack? Who warned them?” Morgause asked, still looking out the window. Morgana had her answer prepared, not exactly untrue. “The seers saw it a few hours before you came.”

Morgause whipped around to her, a frown marring her brow. “That shouldn’t be possible. Old prophecies, already known, cannot be erased. But...” She paced anxiously. “She promised to help however she could. This is not possible!” Morgause said again.

Morgana wracked her brain, thinking of all the people who could have the power to control the deliverance of prophecy and visions. Nothing came to her. Also, no more using prophecy as a crutch to explain stuff. 

“Well, that is what the Druids claimed. They may have had another source that they didn’t wish to reveal to us.” Morgana offered, trying to slow her heart. Thankfully, Morgause seemed to accept it. Her jaw clenched, and she grit out, “The Priests.”

First Harbingers, then Druids, and now some Priests. ‘Bringing back the Gods’, whatever that meant, seemed to involve a lot of controversies and opposing groups. Unfortunately, Morgause did not elaborate any more on the Priests. She marched back to the table, and tapped a piece of paper with a grid drawn on it, like a table, most of the boxes filled with numbers. Finger on the number 31, she said, “Tomorrow is Samhain. This is the day we begin, when the veil between this world and the nether worlds is the thinnest. Have you seen the depravity of this world? People roam freely with no reverence to the Old Religion, the source of the very magic they use everyday. In some parts, magic users are still shunned and bear atrocities. It will end once the Gods, the source of all magic, themselves are released. They shall shape a new age.”

She really had lost her mind, then. Morgana suppressed a shudder, and finally asked, “ _ Released _ ? Why do you think they are trapped, and need to be freed?”

Morgause sat down in her chair once more. The strange gleam in her eyes made Morgana suppress the instinct to flinch away as she leaned a bit closer over the table and took her hand. “When I died, my spirit was taken into the other world. It was endless. Time held no meaning there, and I wandered for.... it could have been seconds, or eternity. But then, The Morrigan saved me.” 

Morgana’s shock must have been evident, and Morgause smiled. “Yes, the Triple Goddess herself came to me. She was splendid, power incarnate. If I had a form, it would have burnt away at her sheer presence. She told me how they were imprisoned in the netherworld by cruel kings of old, to diminish the power of the Old Religion, of Magic itself.”

“But those kings never got their wish. Though subdued, their power still seeped into the world, just enough to keep the faith going through centuries, though it suffered many blows from persecutors of magic. When the Gods are unleashed, they will serve justice. No one can stand against them. Magic will suffer no more.” Morgana felt her dread cement into fear as she saw the near-manic glint in Morgause’s eyes as she went on. “She told me that my spirit would very soon be released into this world, and it did. The druid boy, my seneschal, he was sent by Her to free me, and he did so using the Horn of Cathbad. He was terribly for her easy to enthrall, with the thinning of the Veil . No one even noticed him steal and use the Horn before replacing it!” 

Morgana clenched her jaw. The barely concealed enjoyment of her tone had a flame of anger flaring up despite her fear. 

“She gave me back my body, and my magic. But freeing the Gods would need power far superior to mine. She gave me knowledge of her ancient ritual to increase my power, so I may bring her back when the time is right. And she warned me of Emrys and the prophecy, for she is the Goddess of Fate and the source of all destiny. She didn’t have much power beyond the veil, but when I swore my loyalty to her, she did as much as she could to help me along my path. It will all come to fruition tomorrow, at the Isle of the Blessed. I have not yet found Emrys, but now that The Once and Future King himself is nothing but ash, I do not worry so much. Not all Destiny is set in stone, after all.”

Morgana wanted to laugh hysterically, or maybe cry. She didn’t quite know anymore. This was.....a lot of information. Information was good. This was good, she had got what she wanted, and now she could leave. She couldn’t flee immediately, as attractive the prospect was. Morgause would then know she was a spy, and that Arthur and the others were still out there. No, not an option. 

Morgause sighed, and patted her arm. “Sister, I know it is hard to believe that our pains are finally at an end. We can finally rest after this.” Morgana gave her a weak smile and nodded. 

Something nagged the back of Morgana’s mind, and she voiced it before she lost the nerve. “Morgause. Why use an inexperienced, untrained force such as the Harbingers? Why not will more able sorcerers to help you?”

Morgause sounded frustrated as she shook her head. “It takes too much power. Controlling just him-” she gestured towards Jude “- is easy enough, he is not very powerful. I only used up my power to burn the wards and bring the tunnels down because, well, It’s the Druids!” She chuckled, and a cold shiver passed through Morgana. “The oldest of the Magic people, and a very rich source.” Morgana’s eyes flitted to the pile of sickening grey ash, and she had to focus not gag as she understood Morgause’s words. She continued casually, “It’s alright, I replenished today what I used up yesterday.”

Trying not to feel ill, Morgana asked, “And you are saving your power for.....freeing the Gods?” Morgause nodded in assent, though she looked distracted by something in her mind. 

She suddenly frowned and stood up, guiding Morgana out of the chair as well. “Everything is ready for tomorrow, and you have no need to tire yourself. Tomorrow, we shall change the world. You are pale, and tired. These few days must have taken a great toll on you. Go rest, Morgana.” Morgana’s stomach turned at how genuinely concerned she looked and sounded. She just gave another smile and let Morgause call one of her people to escort her to the North block.

Striding as fast as she could to her room, Morgana locked the door and flung open the windows. The earthy scent of the forest wafted in on a light breeze and she clung to it. It was grounding, calming. It reminded her of the time she and Arthur had gotten lost in the woods near Camelot, foraging for the precious moonshine blooms in the middle of the night. Gaius had found them while gathering herbs the next day and took them back before they were missed, with a lot of reprimanding thrown in for good measure. Apparently, moonshine blooms were a myth. They had to suffer through some lectures on herbology for a few weeks after that.

Morgana opened her eyes as the memory faded, and stared into the greenery. The plan had been to get out under the pretense of garnering information from the remaining druid forces and the knights. But Morgause seemed least worried about them. Druids were, after all, peaceful people, and would never fight except in defence. Morgana leaned forward, resting her arms on the windowsill. Morgause did seem a little worried about these ‘Priests’. What Priests? 

Morgana sighed. The Gods thing sounded like a giant hoax, it couldn’t be real. Some primordial entity feeding Morgause what she wanted, just to set itself free and wreak havoc? 

Morgana dropped her head into her hands. Would getting the information to the others before it was too late worth the risk Morgause discovering her truth? Was it already too late to do _anything_? Gods, she didn’t even know how far the nearest town was, where she could call Merlin on his cell phone (he had got them all to memorise his number in case they got lost). Staying back here seemed pretty useless now, if she couldn’t even get away to let the others know what Morgause had in mind.

Well, one thing was for sure. She was most  _ definitely _ getting a headache.

As she did her best to sort through the swirling thoughts, a warm gust of air hit her. Her head shot up, and she jumped back with a curse at the sight of a great, white head poking out of the trees. 

“Aithusa!” She whispered, and cast a silencing spell over the room before turning back to the Dragon. “What are you doing here!? You’ll get yourself killed!”

“Only a dragonlord can kill a dragon, Morgana.” Her voice was impressively quiet for a dragon. “And I'm here to take you back.”

Oh. No, she couldn’t leave now.  “Why did Merlin send you now? I cannot just vanish, Morgause would figure out the truth!”

“Merlin did not send me. I knew you stayed back here and came myself. It is not safe for you.” Those golden eyes bored into her imploringly.

Morgana stared back. “You..you came for me. Without being ordered to.”  _ Why? _

Aithusa’s warm breath hit her again, and the dragon poked her head closer to the window. “I remember when we were held captive by Sarrum. You gave yourself up for me. You starved yourself nearly to death so I had enough to eat. You looked after me, and now it’s my turn.”

Morgana felt like her heart had swelled to double its size. Smiling back widely despite the tears in her eyes, she reached out to run her palm over Aithusa’s snout. “Thank you.”

Aithusa nudged back, and made a low purring noise that Morgana felt in her bones. “I cannot come now, Aithusa. I need time to think. I cannot risk the rest of us being caught by Morgause.”

Aithusa pulled back and rumbled, “Then I shall wait for you here. I can hide myself very well.” 

Morgana had no intentions of arguing with a dragon. Just as she nodded, Aithusa tensed and tilted her head. A moment later her eyes widened. And at the same instant, a thunderous boom came from deeper inside the building.  Morgana was already grabbing her sword from the table. “I’m not letting you get caught again for my sake, Aithusa. Go to Merlin, tell him Morgause thinks she is charged with waking the Gods of the Old Religion and will try to do so on Samahin at the Isle of the Blessed.” As the dragon hesitated, Morgana pulled up every once of command she possessed and yelled at her, “Go! Now!” 

As Aithusa withdrew into the woods, Morgana stepped out of her room to the sight of Harbingers scurrying along the corridor towards the Central Complex. She stepped in front of a man, who halted abruptly. “What’s happening?” 

“The Priests are trying to get to the Leader, Ma’am,” he stuttered out, clearly terrified at either the situation or at Morgana herself. She hurried to the staircase which connected their wing to the Central complex. The sounds of a battle rang out, and distant flashes of Magic being used in combat were visible. 

Then a flash brighter than the others had the Castle rumbled again, and Morgana scrambled away as a network of widening cracks spread across the wall beside her, at the intersection of the North block and the Complex. She turned away, a shielding appearing around her just as the solid stone collapsed with a thundering rumble. 

Coughing as she waved away the dust thick in the air, Morgana opened her eyes. The entire corner of the building had turned into rubble and stone. The path to the central complex was entirely cut off by the great chunks of greystone that were once a stairway As she took in the destruction, Morgana caught a hint of movement from the corner of her eye.

Aithusa circled high in the sky over the rubble. 

She hadn’t left yet.

Morgana glanced towards the pulverized staircase behind which the fight was still raging. A wonderful distraction. Even if she vanished, Morgause would probably assume she had been felled during the fight or kidnapped by the Priests, whoever they were. This could work. 

Scrambling to her feet and ignoring the sting of dust in her eyes, Morgana raced as the North block slowly crumbled and shook. Thankfully, Shreya had made sure to drill the details of the Castle’s layout into them before the chaos had started last night. Making straight for the stairs at the end of the long corridor, Morgana ran up the winding staircase which ended at a solid wooden door. She burst through it onto the top of a turret. The tower shook violently, falling to ruins under her feet. Another moment, and she would fall with it. 

Aithusa swooped towards her like an arrow, swift and sure. Morgana peered over the edge of the tower.  _ Oh, screw it. _

Morgana jumped. Her heart leapt into her mouth as she plummeted towards the solid ground, the wind rushing-

“-uff!” Aithusa’s claws closed around her, and they shot upwards into the heavens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I did my best to look up about the Morrigan before using her as a part of the plot, but if anything I write or imply over the course of this chapter is ignorant or offensive, please let me know in the comments and I will fix it. Thanks.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the delay in updating!! 
> 
> [The Supernatural finale has had me on the verge of mental breakdown the last couple of days :'( ]

Merlin looked up as the door opened, and Gwen slipped in. “How is she?” she whispered, nodding to Nina who was fast asleep in the bed, thanks to Gaius’ draught. 

“Physically alright, just exhausted. The Jude situation took a toll.” 

Gwen’s brow furrowed as she leaned over, tucking back the young girl’s hair. “Go on, get some rest. I’ll look after her for a bit.” Merlin stretched as Gwen perched on the edge of the bed. 

“Nah, i’m fine. Stay if you like, but I can’t sleep now. Not tired in the least.” It would hardly be the first time he’d gone without sleep for a whole day. “How are the others?”

Gwen huffed. “Elyan and Gwaine are knocked out cold. Everyone else is just....processing. Oh, Lancelot asked where Meg was?” 

“They went home. For now, at least.” 

“They earned it.” Gwen muttered, rubbing her wrists where the cuffs had bruised them. Merlin felt the need to kick whoever was responsible flare up. “From what he said, Percival and Eva would have been caught too, were it not for them.” Merlin leaned over and put his fingers to the bruises, and the red vanished in a moment. Gwen smiled her thanks, but it soon dwindled into a frown. “Arthur’s very anxious about Morgana being there. We all are. Even if something goes wrong, she has no way to let us know.”

Merlin pressed his hand to his forehead, mind racing. “I know, but I’m not getting a single idea on what to do. Maybe...maybe i could shift again an d go check up on her?”

Gwen grimaced. “It’s risky, and I also do not like you constantly turning into small animals in enemy territory. But if she doesn't come back today...”

“Yeah. Besides, Morgana is clever, she’s quick. You saw how she handled the truth spell Morgause used on her.”

Gwen frowned. “She didn’t nullify it somehow?” When Merlin shook his head, Gwen raised her brows, impressed. It eased into a small smile as Gwen told him, “She taught me how to read and write, you know. From the very week we met. We were both eleven years old, then.” Oh. Merlin knew she and Elyan weren’t taught to read or write, but he wasn’t aware that it was Morgana who had taught her. 

Gwen laughed softly. “Remember how mad poor Leon went trying to teach Elyan?”

Merlin forced back his snort of laughter and settled for a grin. Leon had miraculously survived every single thing that ever happened in Camelot, but it was teaching Elyan that had truly had him in tears. “I swear, when Elyan wrote him that letter, where he wrote ‘eggsample’ instead of ‘example’? Leon died on the inside.”

“The idiot did it on purpose.” She turned to the door of the room, and she suddenly smiled, softer than before. “I may not be a Queen anymore. Camelot may have faded centuries ago. But I am truly thankful to have got a second chance with those I love.” 

Merlin took her hand, and she squeezed back. “So am I.” Merlin said. Just then, something tugged inside him, a familiar sensation. 

“Aithusa.” 

Gwen turned with a small frown. “What is it?”   


“She’s calling for me.” Merlin said as he shot to his feet. As he dashed out, Gwen followed.  Just as they reached the clearing where the dragons had picked them up last night, Aithusa’s huge form appeared overhead. She circled down into the clearing, and Merlin noted with relief that she didn’t look injured. They noticed the figure held in her claws only when she landed. 

Merlin gaped as Morgana extracted herself and stood up, and Gwen ran to her immediately. Merlin followed. She seemed alright. Morgana stepped out from Gwen’s embrace and grinned, despite being evidently exhausted. Gwen asked, “What happened?”

Morgana’s grin shifted into a grimace. “A lot of things, including a lot of good luck. I don’t think I could repeat it twice, I'll tell everyone at once.”

Meanwhile, Merlin had walked over to Aithusa, who was trying to be as placid as she always tried to, but her constantly rustling wings gave away her excitement. “Tell me before you go off on adventures by yourself, please. I worry.” 

She huffed and he sighed. 

  
*****

“oof-”  It was a testament to Morgana’s strength that she just stumbled back a few steps instead of crashing to the floor when Arthur quite literally launched himself at her. He’d never done that before. She allowed herself a smile as he looked over her. “You’re alright?”

“Yes.”

“Are...are you going back?” He asked, voice carefully neutral, but the hug had already spoiled the effect. 

“No.”

“Thank gods.” He sighed, and she winced. Gods again. She collapsed with a groan onto the beanbag as Gwaine, Percival and Elyan were herded out of the bedroom by Lancelot, still looking half asleep. 

“You’re back!” Gwaine beamed and followed it up with a yawn, while the other two sat down with two small smiles. Morgana smiled wearily as they trooped in, and Merlin tilted his head with a frown. “Want something to eat?” 

“Only if you don’t poison it.”

Merlin spluttered for a second, torn between outrage and shock and guilt. Arthur looked a bit scandalized, and Gwen bit back a smile. With a shake of his head, Arthur asked, “So...what happened?”

This was going to be a really long day.

*****

“....she’s gone mad.” Gwaine decided with a definite nod.

Merlin had never felt this bewildered before. “I have  _ never- _ in fifteen bloody centuries-  _ ever _ heard of the _ Gods _ being  _ imprisoned _ . What even- I don’t know.” He threw up his hands, as Lance and Gwen winced in sync. 

Morgana shrugged. “I’m just telling you what she said.”

“Perhaps she is telling the truth.” Arthur said with a shrug. “We all just returned from the dead. Merlin’s an immortal warlock with three dragons-”

“Five dragons, Cyril and Tasha are off adventuring somewhere.”

“-Five dragons, then. And Morgause got resurrected by the Triple Goddess. Why not?”

Leon heaved a sigh of the long suffering and asked Merlin, “You know the man with the Unicorns, right? You could ask him for help again.”

“That’s – actually a very good idea.” 

Just then, someone knocked at the door. Lance frowned and walked to it, muttering, “I didn’t know you ordered food again.”

Merlin stopped him with a hand on his arm. “I didn't.” No one vsited him here except when he ordered in. None of his other friends or colleagues knew where he lived. This couldn’t be good. 

He opened the door to find three people on the porch. They all wore identical dark brown hooded capes, with the hoods up and their staffs were as tall as themselves. They had the strongest ‘mysterous magic people’ vibes he’d ever seen. Merlin’s magic curled and braced for an attack as the person in the front pulled back his hood, to reveal a tall, dark skinned man. 

“What can I do for you?” Merlin asked, pasting on his politest smile even as he prepared to blast them back if necessary. 

“I am not sure of that, but we surely can do quite a bit for you, Emrys.” 

_ Oh no. _

“My name is Merlin Emerson. I’m not sure who you want to-”

“We have known you since Alator, Emrys.”  _ Alator _ ? That rang a vague bell. “We are the Priests of Catha, and we know of what Morgause will attempt tomorrow. We wish to assist your endeavors in stopping her.”

So much for the dumb act. A sudden flash of memory reminded him of who exactly Alator was: the only priest of Catha he had ever known. Surely, the mixed feelings he felt towards them were justified. 

“How do I know you aren’t on her side?” 

The Priest stared back, face totally, eerily blank. “It is against the very roots of our identity to do so. But we understand your hesitation. You may cast a spell of truth over us.” 

Merlin raised his brows. This was decidedly.....unusual. “Alright.” Merlin cast the enchantment with a thought, and the priests didn’t even flinch. 

“Who are you and why are you here?”

“We are the priests of Catha, and wish to help you stop the goddess and her aide, Morgause.”

Merlin shuffled aside and waved them in, and the other two priests dropped their hood as they walked in. As they reached the living room, all eyes turned to them warily. A brief round of introductions informed them that the man Merlin had spoken to was Aiden, the current High Priest of Catha, and the other two priests remained unnamed. 

Once everyone except the priests sat down (they apparently did not do that. Was this only for outside the monastery or did they just....stand all the time? Merlin knew better than to enquire about that now), Aiden spoke. 

“Tomorrow is Samhain, when the veil between the Worlds is thinnest. Morgause intends to use the opportunity to make a rip in this veil, and use the magic she has illicitly gathered to break the bonds of magic that keep the Gods we worship at bay.”

“What do you mean,  _ at bay _ ?” Gwen asked with a frown. “I was under the impression they were all-powerful ones who birthed magic, and kept it in order.” 

Aiden smiled grimly. “People are curious beings, always seeking explanations for everything on earth. What you now say is a story that was told to make it easier for people to sleep at night peacefully. A story told so often that it became the truth for everyone, except those inside the Monastery of Catha.” 

Merlin listened dubiously, and noted that even Gaius had raised The Eyebrow. Aiden, however, went on unaffectedly. “To understand our current predicament, we have to go back to the origin of Magic. As is said, it was indeed born in the Crystal Caves, but it was initially......unstable. Conflicting. Though the key of Magic is balance, this instability birthed several beings of Magic that warped the harmony of the world. The Gods were the greatest of them. The Lady Arhianrhod had power over the heavens. Lugh wielded the magic of creating day and night, Danu controlled the earth and nature. Their power was their identity. Indeed, it  _ was _ them. They were, in other words, Magic itself.”

Merlin swallowed nervously as every head in the room turned to him in varying degrees of shock and realization. This was a discussion for later. He willed them all to keep their traps shut for now at least as the High Priest continued. 

“These Gods roamed rampant, and Chaos followed in their wake. Almighty, unrivalled power was not enough for them, however. They weren’t benevolent like we think nowadays. Quite the opposite. They yearned for some lesser being who could just comprehend enough of their power to bow to them in fear, to worship them. And this was their undoing.”

“Humans suited their needs well. They were worshipped, feared, had free reign. The world was theirs. At first, their plans worked. But humanity was more resilient than it looked, and determined to not let the world fade away. The Gods ravaged the Land with their indulges and whims, and the people grew to resent as well as fear them. In the end, to save their world, their home, they called upon the most powerful and strong willed of them all, the one who possessed enough skill and magic to craft the Horn of Cathbad itself.”

“The druid, Cathbad? ” Merlin asked, and Aiden nodded. “He was called upon by the people, and indeed, a few of the less power-hungry deities, to help restrain the Gods. They couldn’t be killed, for that was their strange, primal nature. And so Cathbad devised an enchantment to banish these Gods to the other side of the veil where they would slumber for a long, long while, and Magic was balanced once more.”

“But such mighty Magic needed an equally mighty sacrifice. The Lady Catha, one of the deities who were inclined to side with the world, gave up all of her own sacred magic and divinity to ensure the end of those dark days. Since then the Priests of Catha were tasked by Cathbhadh himself to ensure the Gods stayed unconscious beyond the veil for eternity.

But now, after millennia of slumbering, the one they call The Phantom Queen, the most powerful of them all, stirs. And has control over more of their power than she should. I do not know what they have told Morgause, but she is determined to assist their waking. We must stop it.”

Absolute silence followed Aiden’s story. Merlin couldn’t believe this, but their task had just managed to jump from daunting to outright terrifying. Morgana was the first to speak. 

“How did you know about Morgause?” She asked them, and Aiden replied, deadpan as ever, “We have our ways.”

Merlin resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Morgana watched Aiden with narrowed eyes, a tiny furrow between her brows, and said “It was your people who attacked Morgause this morning.” It was more of a statement than a question. 

“Indeed.” Aiden replied. “We found Emrys only because of the dragon, whom we tracked back here.” 

“Now that you’re here, I take it that you did not succeed in thwarting Morgause’s plan.” Gwen asked, and Aiden displayed the barest hint of disappointment before saying “You are right. We lost two of our own before retreating. The element of surprise was not as beneficial as we had hoped.”

Arthur seemed to have collected enough of his wits by now to ask, “Do you know the enchantment? The one to bind the Gods once again?” 

Aiden inclined his head to a side and replied, “Yes. But we do not know how to fight Morgause’s own power. And we also have no one whose Magic is powerful enough to restore the bindings.” Not so subtly, he looked to Merlin, and Merin sat straighter.

“Does she have to actually open the veil for the ritual?”

“To free them, yes. But the veil is thin enough to restore their bonds without a rift.” 

They all exchanged a look. The last time it was opened, nothing good had happened. “We have to intervene before she can open it. Last time the doroccha got out, hundreds died. I could maybe take on the doroccha, or Morgause. Definitely not both at once.”

Lance pointed to him in agreement. “Yeah, you almost died the last time with doroccha.” 

“I’m kind of more worried about the rest of you than me, to be ho-”

“You are not almost-dying with the creepy ghosts again, Merlin.” Gwen firmly said, and Arthur nodded in grim agreement. Before Merlin could explain how the doroccha were not ghosts, Aiden spoke again. “You have dragons, do you not?”

“Yeah..” Merlin wasn’t sure where this was going. Aiden opened his mouth and-

“Oh! They have fire!!” Elyan pointed out suddenly, and Aiden tilted his head.

“But Magic doesn't work on the doroccha, does it? And Dragons are creatures of magic?” Morgana asked. Aiden, however, was staring directly at Merlin instead of answering. What -

Merlin groaned. Stupid, stupid! He’d been an absolute idiot! “Ordinary magic doesn't, but very powerful magic can work on the doroccha. I would never have survived it otherwise.” Now that he’d unlocked all his abilities, he could probably even use his own magic against them. Merlin groaned again for good measure. 

“So you’re telling me we could just have had your old lizard friend Kilgarrah spewing fire at them forever instead of Lancelot sacrificing himself like the genius he is?” Gwaine stated incredulously, and Merlin cursed himself again. Gwen patted his arm and said soothingly, “You had no way of knowing then, Merlin.” Lance, the one who had suffered the worst because of it, also offered a smile and shrugged. Being so understanding should be bloody illegal.

Shaking off the riot in his head, Merlin refocused. They had worse stuff to handle now. 

“First of all, how do we stop Morgause?”

Aiden calmly replied, “Kill her.” 

She had been quite the example for evil, but no one seemed enthusiastic at that prospect. Merlin sneaked a glance at Morgana. Her jaw was tightly clenched, and she took a deep breath before looking up and asking, “How?” 

It was a good question; Merlin doubted that the usual spells or even bodily harm would be enough to kill her now, magic or goddess’ blessings or whatever. 

“A sword forged in a dragon’s breath.” Aiden answered, and Merlin met Arthur’s gaze. Only one of them could wield Excalibur. That narrowed their chances very much compared to if all of them could tackle Morgause. A strange shadow of... something rippled over Arthur’s face for a moment before he turned to Aiden.

“What do you have in mind?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Friendly reminder to those who can't remember Alator/the Priests of Catha: Alator is a Priest of Catha, a group of sorcerers who show up in the later seasons briefly. He's the dude who kidnaps and tortures Gaius on Morgana,'s behalf, but later stands up to her and ends up dead. )
> 
> Feel free to yell in the comments :)


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :D

“How do we know they’re telling the truth?” Elyan pointed out the moment the Priests vanished from the room. Merlin let himself drop down on the couch as Leon frowned between them. “What do you mean?”

“This story is not the one Morgause was told, apparently by the Goddess herself.” Morgana sighed. “According to her, restoring the Gods would end any and all injustices left in the world, especially against Magic. But Aiden’s claims are not that flattering. I assumed whatever Morgause encountered beyond the veil was some eldritch horror manipulating her, not an  _ actual  _ goddess! But now...” she trailed off, and the same confusion and uncertainty that gripped Merlin swirled in her eyes.

“The Priest cannot lie, I used a truth spell on him.” Merlin clarified. 

Everyone seemed to accept that, except Lancelot who was too busy frowning. “What if they didn’t know they were lying? Would it work in that case?” 

Merlin was conscious of a sinking feeling in his gut. “No.” He groaned, burrowing further into the couch.“The Priest could have told what he believed was the truth, but considering it all happened thousands of years ago, he could still be wrong about it.” 

“Indeed. The Priests of Catha were known, at least in the old days, for their strange habits and practices bordering on morbid.” Gaius said. “Maybe the story got warped over years and turned into this eerie tale.”

If Morgause’s version was true (despite her methods, that didn’t really help form a good impression of the almighties), the idea of a perfect world was a terrible temptation. Fifteen centuries of trying to work out differences between people had made Merlin weary, because all it resulted in was a few decades of peace -maybe a century if he was lucky- before some ego-filled genocidal maniac came along and persecuted the other side again. It had never stopped him from making things even; the years of joy and relative harmony were totally worth it. The thought of having that forever, everything always balanced, always perfect.....

It was too good to be true. If it was, it would avoid years of pain and suffering yet to come. 

But the flip side would be absolute destruction of the world; the Gods probably wouldn’t appreciate being locked away for millennia. 

Merlin realized he’d zoned out when Arthur nudged him with a shoulder, watching with concern. Morgana looked equally troubled. They might have made a plan with the Priests but if they were wrong, the opportunity lost would be too precious. “I have no idea how anyone could verify either version of the story.” Merlin said heavily, and watched as the others brainstormed. They were as good a source of ideas as him this time. 

Merlin also realised with a flash of inexplicable relief that no one talked about the terrifying possibility of him being an actual God. A small mercy; he could only do so much at a time. 

“Things would be so much easier if you could travel in time.” Elyan sighed, and Gwen swatted him on his shoulder admonishingly. Merlin agreed, though. So many things could be different then. 

“Aha!” Leon winced as Gwaine smacked him on the back with the exclamation. “What if you asked someone who was actually there?” 

“What do you mean?” Percival asked and Gwaine replied with a shrug, “Merlin could ask the unicorn guy again. You were going to go, before the Priests came, right? He seems like the sort of person who would’ve been around then.”

“Right you are.” Merlin got up. “See you all in a bit.” Lance stood with him and took his hand. “I’m coming with.” 

Well, why not? In the next moment, they vanished into thin air.

****  
  


As Merlin whisked himself and Lancelot away, Morgana stood up and went out the back door. Arthur stared after her, and knew enough to not follow. 

He listened half-heartedly as Elyan tried to convince Gwaine to steal more chocolate from the fridge (Merlin had forbidden them from eating anymore, to everyone’s despair) and Leon escaped into the kitchen for more tea (the man was obsessed, honestly) when Gaius entered, Nina in tow. The girl looked understandably nervous as she walked in with a weak smile. As Gwen promptly took charge and talked to her, Nina visibly relaxed.

Suddenly, the room felt too small for them all. As inconspicuously as he could, Arthur slunk away to a bedroom and shut the door behind him. Taking deep breaths, he paced as his mind raced. They had just planned their strategy for stopping Morgause. By killing her. 

Right in front of Morgana.

He dropped onto the edge of the bed with a shuddering breath. Through the whole conversation, Arthur had wanted to ask Morgana if she wanted to leave, or if there was another way . But the hard, determined set of her face told him better than to do any such thing before all those present. 

Arthur heard the door open behind him, and the buzz of conversation reached his ears before it shut once more. He didn’t bother turning around; the steps treading softly towards him were familiar. The bed shifted behind him as Gwen climbed on and settled herself against his back, arms draped over his shoulders. He relaxed against her weight and laced their fingers together.

“You abandoned poor Nina to that pack of heathens we call friends?” Arthur asked, and felt her huff. Head on his shoulder, she said “They seem to be taking very well to each other. I think Percival will adopt her if left alone for a bit longer.”

“Hmm.” Arthur basked in the comfortable silence till Gwen nudged him. “What is it?” she asked gently, and Arthur smiled for a moment. Nothing could ever stay hidden for long from her. The fact of the matter was, the thought of Morgana having to see her sister die only reminded him of Morgana’s death. That was the moment he had given up, no longer had the strength to even try. It had pained him, despite what he’d thought she had become; maybe  _ because _ of it. Merlin had done him a mercy by being the one to end it, for Arthur wasn’t quite sure if he ever could have done it himself. 

He would wish such pain to no one again. Morgana must have truly loved and trusted Morgause to grow so close to her. All that Morgause had done, the roots of it were his own father’s sins. How much longer would they have to bear their weight? 

He told Guinevere as much, but she kept her silence. “The worst of it is,” he told her, “I feel guilty. Inadequate. For  _ not _ wanting to end this by killing her. Uther’s words haunt me even now.” There. He said it. Years of trying to live up to Uther’s expectations, then realising how woefully wrong he had been and trying to undo his influence was a task that seemed neverending.

Gwen untangled herself and sat beside him, keeping her gaze on him. She took his hand, absentmindedly rubbing the plain golden band on his finger. The slow, rhythmic action calmed him a bit. “Never lose your heart, Arthur. It’s as simple as that.” 

“You are my heart.” He told her, and she rolled her eyes with a smile. Arthur smiled back, even as he realized how true it was. They all were, though Guinevere would always have a lion’s share. Who would he be without Morgana to give him the occasional smack round the head, without Merlin to shoot ridiculous retorts and names with the occasional bout of great wisdom and loyalty, without his friends to always stay by his side and trust him to be a good man? Without Gwen’s endless wisdom and love to always guide him?

“You’ve spent too long with Gwaine and Percival.” She informed him and stood up. Unwilling to step out just now, he held on to her hand, and she stopped before him silently, running her fingers through his hair. He rested his head against her and sighed, “You watched me do nothing for years as Uther harmed innocents. So did Merlin, and Gaius, and almost every one out there. And you still stand by me.”

The unspoken  _ Why  _ hung in the air.

“It’s simple, really.” She lifted his face to hers. “We know who you really are, your circumstances. You didn’t always let Uther do things without a fight despite his best efforts to make you like him.”

That was....sort of true, he supposed. But all the times he  _ had _ let things happen, the guilt was a burden he would bear always. He had been a coward, had let the injustice of his father’s rule continue in his. And yet....all these people who stood with him, did he deserve such loyalty?

“Arthur.” Gwen knelt in front of him till their eyes were level. She must have picked up a lot of things over her life, which had been so much longer than his. She had gotten wiser and kinder. And ever more badass, going by her skill with a blade. Apparently, she had also learnt to read minds, because she firmly said, “ You’ve made your mistakes, and you’ve always learnt from them.” She hesitated for a second, before adding, “We all chose you, you know. And we’re not idiots.”

“That’s arguable, in case of Gwaine.”

She shot his brief look of disapproval and went on, “You were not just Camelot’s hope for a better future. You, Arthur, are a man we all love for who you are.” She huffed a laugh. “If it weren’t for you, I'm sure some of us would have assassinated Uther. ”

Arthur didn’t even fight it. Why? They had every right to, like all those sorcerers had tried to. But he smiled back, and Gwen pressed a quick kiss to his mouth before dropping onto the bed again as Arthur contemplated out loud, “Hm. Who do you think would?”

“Would what?”

“Assassinate Uther.”

“Morgana for sure. “ Gwen frowned thoughtfully. “I’m not quite sure about Merlin.” 

Arthur agreed. Best friend or not, Merlin was one complex creature. Hoping to unravel his mind’s processes was near impossible. 

“You wouldn’t.” He told Gwen, and she looked disgruntled at that. “Not that you can’t!” he clarified. “You’re just too kind, and would say something entirely wise and true about how pointless revenge is.” After a moment of consideration,she shrugged. “Never forgive him though.” She added, pointing to Arthur.

“I don’t think anyone could.” He knew he never would.

“Maybe me and Merlin could have put a bucket of worms in his bed.” she mumbled, and Arthur snorted at the mental image that conjured up. “Or maybe loosen the legs of all his chairs, so he’d fall every single time.” she added, and Arthur couldn’t help but laugh. 

“None of the knights would, except maybe Gwaine or Lancelot. They would do it for Merlin in a heartbeat.” Gwen went on, and Arthur had to admit she had a point.

“Gwaine would commit murder outright if Merlin asked.” Arthur pondered. “Lancelot on the other hand, he would be the clever one. He’d make it look like an accident or something.”

“Good point.” Gwen said, rolling onto her stomach and propping up on her elbows. Arthur lay beside, turning her curls between his fingers. It was almost miraculous, how much had happened and yet, she was the same. No, not the same, but stronger than ever. 

A loud bang sounded from behind the door, and they groaned in sync. He let her drag him upright and towards the door. “I have to make sure the cottage doesn’t collapse. And you,” she squeezed his hand in reassurance. “You have things to think of and people to talk to.” 

As she headed out to face a deflated bean bag and a sheepish Gwaine, Arthur took a deep breath. As she said, he had some talking to do.

*******

The next instant found Merlin and Lancelot in the same clearing he’d called Anhora from before. Lance squeezed his shoulder and Merlin drew on his calming presence to centre himself. Dwelling on how so much had got flipped upside down in such a short time would just drive him mad. 

As before, Merlin cast out his call for help, questing for the ancient presence. He felt it for an instant, and between one blink and another, Anhora appeared. “You have called me the second time in three days, Emrys.”

“Is it true? What the Priests said?” The words rushed out of him, and maybe it was just his racing imagination, but he fancied a shadow of uncertainty passed over the Keeper’s face before he returned to his usual placidity. 

“To answer that, I must first know what they said.” 

And Merlin told him, as briefly as he could. With every word, Merlin felt more and more agitated. Every second amplified his fears and doubts and hopes all at once. It was dreadful, but he did it. 

Anhora listened in grave silence, and when he was done, regarded him with a strange look. “I am sorry, Emrys. I wish I could tell you that the High Priestess’ tale was true, but it is not. The priests of Catha are right.” 

Merlin took a step back, pressing his lips tightly together to stop them from trembling. He knew the odds of getting the other answer were bad, and yet the loss of hope hurt. He must have looked as devastated as he felt, because Anhora watched him for a moment before speaking unbidden. 

“I understand your hope, and how it is to be broken, young warlock.” No one had called him that in centuries, though if one person could, it was probably this old man. He continued, “I know what happened for sure because I was there. I was one of the Gods who helped Cathbad seal the others away.”

Merlin frowned as the words processed, and then gaped. Lance sounded as baffled as he felt as he asked, “You.....are a God?” 

Anhora, fortunately, didn’t seem particularly offended by their surprise. He nodded sagely. “I was the unicorn’s caretaker from the very beginning. My charges were creatures of love, and kindness, and all that is good in the world. They helped me appreciate our world, but unfortunately, not all of my kind did. They just take and take. Their souls have no kindness or empathy, and they feel nothing except the heady power. You must keep them bound and away from this world, or it will be lost.”

“Will Merlin’s magic be enough to do it?” Lance asked, and Merlin noticed a sharp edge to his voice. 

“It will not be easy, with the Priestess to oppose you. But you will find a way, sooner or later.” His eyes gleamed cleverly, and Merlin sighed. “Are all ancient beings compelled to speak in riddles?” he asked, reminded suddenly of old Kilgarrah. 

Anhora smiled slightly. “Some things have to be arrived at by oneself. Good luck, Emrys.” 

The look in his eye told Merlin he definitely knew how unhelpful he was being. 

Merlin turned about with a sigh. Lance stepped closer and tilted his head to catch Merlin’s eye. “I’m sorry.” He softly said, and Merlin shrugged. 

“Shouldn’t have even hoped for it, really. It was too good to be true.”

“Hey.” Lance waited for him to look up from the grass he was staring at, and when he did, said firmly, “Never stop hoping. Even if it feels too good to be true.” Merlin felt his lips turn into a pout, and Lance smiled. “Where would any of us be today without hope?”

“Dead.” Merlin deadpanned, and Lance chuckled as he threw a hand over his shoulder. “Exactly.” 

Merlin smiled innocently, and watched with a brief flash of childish glee as Lance’s smile slipped into panic as he whisked them back home without any warning. 

****

Arthur had thought it all out and decided what to do, when Merlin and Lancelot had popped back in, barely an inch away from Elyan, making him scream at an ungodly pitch. Despite the not-so-good yet not exactly surprising news he had got, Merlin didn’t look as upset as he’d expected. Lancelot was inordinately great at livening people up. 

Morgana has taken the information bravely as ever, and once again vanished to the backyard. After a few minutes and a rushed (one of their very rare, entirely serious) conversation with Merlin, he joined her.

“What is it?” Morgana asked, abrupt and slightly hoarse, as Arthur approached.

With Morgana, it was best to never beat about the bush. “It’s about Morgause. Do you think we really should try to kill her?” He asked tentatively. Damn him, his eloquence abandoned him at the worst of times. Morgana stiffened even more, and crossed her arms as she replied, voice clipped. “Of course. She has committed crimes, taken and destroyed so many lives. There is no doubt-”

“Morgana.” Arthur stopped her, and her glare settled on him. He paused for a moment, unsure of how to put it. “I.... Back then, during Camelot and all, even if you really had done all that, I wouldn’t have killed you if I had a choice. Maybe...maybe I would have tried for a truce, or.. or  _ something _ . But never  _ killed _ you, for god’s sake.” He took a shuddering breath. “So If you want to try, we will.” He ended firmly. 

She looked away, blinking rapidly. “We have a plan, Arthur, and it’s not solid anyway. If we want our chances to be good, we should stick to it.” 

“That’s no answer, Morgana.” 

Morgana turned back to him, no longer glaring. “I could never forgive her, Arthur. What she did was heinous. But-” She swallowed. “The Morrigan has convinced her the Gods were caged by the kings of old in order to suppress Magic. That if unleashed, they would finally ensure justice. That’s what her motives are, however twisted her ways. If I could talk her out of it, make her see the truth, maybe we won’t need to use your sword.” 

Her shoulders slumped, and she shook her head. “But we can’t risk our plan for it. We can’t risk millions of lives-”

“I know. I would never do that.” Arthur assured her. “But maybe we could work around it. I’ve been thinking-”

“You really shouldn’t, it’s bad for your pea-sized intellect.” Merlin crowed from the door, and Arthur directed every ounce of petty nastiness he could summon in such short notice (a shockingly considerable amount) as he asked, “How long have you been eavesdropping,  _ Mer _ lin?”

“If I was eavesdropping, I wouldn’t have spoken.” 

Arthur narrowed his eyes at him. He didn’t stop. “Also, you talked to me about it before you came out here, you dollophead.” Morgana bit her lip smiling at the title, and before Arthur had a chance to express his outrage of even tell Merlin to  _ clear off _ for a goddamn minute-

“So, what did you decide about the magic sword?” He blundered on, asking Morgana who raised her brows and turned to Arthur. If there were any object handy, he would’ve flung it at the Warlock’s head. Not really a good idea anymore; he could probably make it chase Arthur for the rest of his years. 

Shaking off that particularly daunting image, Arthur hissed at him, “I hadn’t quite gotten to that part yet.” 

“What were you talking about for so long then!?” He really had the  _ nerve _ to sound incredulous.

“It’s not a business deal, Merlin. I don’t just belt out facts and figures and shake hands with her.” 

As Merlin opened his mouth to spew more nonsense, Morgana held up her hands. “Stop, both of you.” She ordered, and Merlin snapped his mouth shut, though Arthur could just _ feel _ a retort itching to come out. 

Hands braced on her hips, Morgana asked, “What sword?”

“Well, only me and Arthur can wield Excalibur, and if you’re going to talk to her, you should be able to defend yourself too. You have your magic, but the element of surprise isn’t always a reliable thing, yeah? So I thought, we have your sword, and a dragon. Why not forge another?” He ended with a tentative shrug, and looked more than a little relieved as Morgana frowned thoughtfully. Honestly, so was Arthur. 

“Okay, what do I have to do?” She asked, and Merlin promptly answered. “Well, since you’re the one it will be forged for, someone should do the forging for you. Preferably someone other than me or King prat here,” - Arthur sighed, but was ignored - “because we have his sword anyway.”

Morgana frowned thoughtfully. “Gwen can do it.”

Before he could stop himself, Arthur flatly said “No.” 

Merlin shook his head disapprovingly at him and as Arthur -

“Ow!” He rubbed the back of his head, where Morgana had smacked him.  _ Hard. _ “What the  _ hell _ , Morgana!” This was totally unfair. He thought she’d stopped doing it since they’d grown up. Apparently not.

“You don’t get to decide what Gwen does or doesn't do.” She stated, and before Arthur could get in a word in edgewise, Merlin, as always, just had to add his bit. “I’ve actually rescued your fat arse more often in ten years than I’ve had to save Gwen in three whole decades.” 

Arthur didn't deserve this. Well, alright, maybe he did, just a little bit. “Alright! I- I’m just worried. I don’t want to risk losing her again.” His voice dwindled to a whisper, and Arthur realised once more that if she was gone.........well, he wasn’t sure he could be as strong as her and cope.

A hand patted his arm, and he looked up to see Morgana, fixing him with a firm yet understanding look. “She is fully capable- probably more so than any of us- of looking after herself. And if she is in danger, I will do anything to make sure she gets out. Anything, you understand?” 

“So will I. And every one of us.” Merlin added, and Arthur looked between the two of them and sighed. “As long as you don’t kill yourself.” He sighed, and Merlin (very unsettlingly) grinned before telling Morgana “Come on, we’ll ask Gwen and do it now, if she’s okay with it.” 

Arthur followed them in, one half full of trepidation and the other curious. He’d never seen a sword getting forged in a dragon’s breath, after all. There was never a boring day with a best friend who had Magic. Though, in all fairness, it was probably the friend more than the Magic who deserved the credit. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to holler in the comments :):)


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some more plot twists, and a lot of fun bonding :)

Morgana lifted her blade, tilting it in the light of the afternoon sun that filtered through the windows of the bedroom. It was a plain and solid weapon, beautiful in it’s simplicity. Gwen had forged it for her years ago, and it had not failed her once. It was only fitting that she should forge it the second time as well. 

Though having a Dragon forged blade was fabulous, the prospect of using it was not at all welcome. Could she do it? Some part of her which once had always shouted louder than the rest and always roared to fight for what she wanted had grown smaller. Once, she chose not to kill Uther at her father’s tomb because for all his cruelty, he cared for her. Yes, It sounded selfish and vain but there it was. And she had blinded herself to Morgause’s cruelty the same way. It was this very part that had goaded her to trust Morgause. To ignore the signs of her true nature, which were painfully obvious when she looked back. Could she ever trust it again? She had felt it ebbing away from the minute she learnt the truth.

The solution the priests offered was.....practical, in a sense. Safe. It would be over for good.

And then Arthur had the audacity to come waltzing in. Sympathy and pity, she had expected and would have easily scorned. But  _ empathy _ ? How dare he. He had  _ no right _ to come crashing in and voicing exactly what the feeble voice inside her was uttering, amplifying it till it was back in full force and crying out: Morgause was being lied to, as she had done to Morgana (though there was way more to  _ that _ ). She was listening to her heart once more, and she couldn’t  _ believe  _ it was thanks to that git of a brother. 

And now, to forge a sword. Gwen had been more than agreeable to the prospect, and Arthur had kept his fat mouth shut, so no more smacks were served out. Right now, Merlin was explaining to Gwen the necessary enchantment to be uttered as the sword was forged and Morgana had gone to retrieve said sword.

She turned about, heading for the door when a sudden flash of light had her blinking. Nothing magical, Morgana realized. Just something on a shelf of the cupboard which had been left open was reflecting the sunlight. 

What could it be?

Even as Morgana realised her curiosity was a bit too strong to be natural, it swelled and engulfed and seduced till she let herself step towards the cupboard, all unease drowned out by the need to  _ know _ .

She stood on her toes, scanning the topmost shelf. There it was. An unassuming bundle of blue cloth in the darkest corner, with something peeking out from the folds. She reached forward, and felt her magic pulse in synchronization with her heart and something much older in anticipation as her fingers brushed it.

It was solid and unyielding. Drawing it out, Morgana let the cloth fall open in her palms as she gazed at the crystal nestled in the middle. 

A vague sense of foreboding nudged in the back of her head, but it was soon drowned out as she took in how beautifully the light moved through it, her own power danced with it. Like there was a whole world just waiting to be explored in there. So pure and wonderful. Maybe if she looked closer...

The cloth slipped to the floor, and the instant skin touched the clear surface, Morgana gasped. The fascination vanished and before anything could be made sense of, the room around her dissolved into dark mist.

A roar. Was it a dragon or the dragonfire that roared? The flame was white hot- too hot, scorching. She whipped away and stumbled back as Nina screamed in anguish. She’d heard it before....in the dream. 

Silence. Pitch black darkness. 

“What a pity, indeed..” An ageless, nameless, formless something whispered, louder than thunder and soft as a whisper at once. The words weren’t even words, the voice wasn’t a voice, but she knew what it wanted to convey. What was  _ it _ ?

Solid gray stone trembled around her, quaking till cracks crept across the ground and up the pillars. Everything was bathed in a golden, flickering glow. Fire.

Something rippling and pulsing, both bright and dark and blue as midnight and red as blood, the Voices of the Dead pouring out in torrents like deadly mist. And behind them, behind their minds,  _ It _ lingered too.

Morgause’s eyes went entirely black as Morgana was thrown back, a sickening crunch echoing through her bones as she slammed into immovable hardness. There was no air in her lungs. But she was gone before she could even breath in.

As something clanked to the left, she turned and froze at what she saw. 

“Morgana!” 

The wooden floor stared back. Merlin’s home. The bedroom, her sword. She panted, and a nameless fear washed over her as Merlin used the cloth to pick the clear rock up and hastily bundle it away on the shelf. His eyes flashed with magic as he shut the door firmly. 

Gwen helped her up, and Morgana pressed her hands tightly together as she realised they were trembling. A few concerned heads peeked around the door. “What is that thing?” Arthur asked Merlin, still eyeing the cupboard warily. Morgana knew the answer just before Merlin said it out loud. 

“A crystal. From the crystal caves.” 

Only Gwen appeared to understand the significance of that, going by how she paled. And going by how Arthur frowned in puzzlement, he had no idea. As Merlin gave him a brief summary, Morgana stared at Arthur. The last moments of the- the vision? dream? Whatever it was- danced before her. It made no sense, none at all. There was no way Arthur would-

“Why would you keep such a thing in here!? Nobody but you knows how to work with them!” Arthur said, and Merlin grimaced. “It’s useful at times, if you know how to use it. And I didn’t think I’d ever have all of you in here, did I?”

Arthur scoffed, derisively. Merlin narrowed his eyes, obviously annoyed. “Boys!” Gwen admonished, and Arthur sulked for a moment before turning to Morgana. 

“Are you alright?”

Morgana forced herself to speak even as her heart picked up pace. “It.....did something to my powers-”

“Acted as a conduit.” Merlin said. “Like a glass orb, or a scrying mirror. For you, it's usually dreams. But this would’ve been much more vivid.” 

That was it. Morgana nodded. “So...you had another vision?” Gwen asked tentatively, and Morgana nodded again. All those present watched with bated breath, but.....maybe this time, it would be better to keep things a bit more private. 

Leon, also at the door, seemed to notice her hesitation, and obligingly dragged Gwaine and Elyan away. Arthur straightened a little. “So? What was it?”

As she roughly described the first bits as well as she could, it was only the last instant that played over and over in her mind. When she stopped speaking, Morgana realised she hadn’t said it yet. Merlin and Gwen were discussing something, maybe the rift, but Morgana couldn’t look away from Arthur, who was just now noticing he was being stared at. 

“There’s more, isn’t there.” He stated flatly. The other two went entirely quiet in a second, and Morgana felt jittery. How would he react? What would he do? Arthur might not take this well at all. But then, he’d surprised her more than once these past few days. 

Before she lost nerve, Morgana said it. “I saw you. Kneeling, sword planted in the ground before you. You were holding it by the hilt, and then....” she swallowed. “Then you opened your eyes. They were glowing, Arthur. Golden.”

It was haunting, the vision of his eyes fluttering open and the glow of Magic bright in them. Morgana bit her lip as the three of them blanched, Arthur’s face going slack. 

“You mean.....” Merlin couldn’t seem to say it out loud. Morgana nodded. 

“Are you quite sure?” Arthur asked faintly, leaning against the cupboard and looking like he’d swallowed a fish. Morgana winced, and Gwen fixed him with a look that was equally concerned and assessive. 

Honestly, she didn’t blame him. It was one thing to try to understand and accept magic for someone who had been brought up as they had. But to actually  _ wield _ it? The truth was, if she’d known of and had control over her powers while in Camelot, she would have grappled with it too. It was Morgause who had truly made her understand how it was part of her, made it comfortable to use the Magic till it became instinct.

There was no time for this now. Arthur wasn’t born with magic, that was for sure. Also, why would it come to  _ him _ using Magic? It made no sense, and Morgana chose to push away her mounting frustration with prophecies and destiny and focus on Arthur, who seemed to be on the verge of a panic attack.

“Just cause I saw it doesn't mean it _ has _ to happen. The future is not set in stone.” Morgana offered, and Arthur threw up his hands, “Oh, so this is just the most likely version then?” and started pacing. Gwen grimaced and tried a new tactic, “It doesn't feel that bad, really.” 

Arthur stopped in his tracks. “You use magic?” 

Gwen shrugged. “Merlin taught us all basic defense and shielding spells.” She looked at him, puzzled. “Didn’t you notice Gwaine using them last night in the battle?” 

Arthur rubbed a hand over his face, before settling a part-sulking, part-weary look on Merlin. “Apparently, I do that a lot.” 

Merlin snorted. Morgana patted Arthur’s shoulder. “So do most of us. I couldn’t figure it out  _ despite _ having Magic. You at least had an excuse.” 

“What excuse?”

“That you’re head’s full of wool.” Morgana informed him, and Arthur stared in betrayal as Merlin tried not to laugh again. Before the conversation could devolve into a row of insults, Gwen used what Morgana liked to call her ‘Queen voice”.

“No name-calling. Focus, people.” 

“Alright then, I have questions.” Arthur declared.

Merlin settled down on the bed. “Ask away.” 

“One.” Arthur lifted his hand, ticking off the question on his fingers. “What does it feel like for someone who wasn’t born with it?”

“A bit tingly,” Gwen scrunched her nose up adorably. “ like that mint thing Elyan’s going mad for. Cool and spicy.” 

Thank gods they’d tried mints. Morgana found them amenable enough, but there was no understanding that taste if one hadn’t experienced it before. Hmm. Interesting....Morgana always felt Magic slide through her, warm and fluidly. Nothing like what Gwen said.

Merlin tilted his head, probably thinking the same. Although, considering what Aiden said, he could very well be a deity of sorts and experienced it entirely differently. That was something to talk about if and when their plan worked tomorrow. 

Arthur considered it for a moment, and nodded. “Two. What possible reason could I have for using Magic?”

Morgana turned to Gwen, who shrugged in response, looking as nonplused as she herself felt. 

“The dragons don’t feel her Magic.” 

They stared at Merlin at the same time, and Morgana wondered if she should maybe worry for his sanity. The sorcerer’s eyes were shining, looking far away into the space, and she could feel his mind racing. 

“Fifteen centuries, and now he loses it.” Arthur sighed, and Merlin scowled back. “You don’t get it. I talked to Daisy after we came back, and she said neither of them felt a thing when Morgause burnt down the wards, or collapsed the tunnels. Both her, Aithusa and Buttercup were right there in the trees around the Castle and felt  _ nothing _ .”

That was  _ impossible _ . Gwen frowned. “We didn’t even have magic, and still felt her power. How could it be?” Arthur blinked at Gwen.  _ Hmm _ . 

“My best guess? They are creatures  _ born _ of Magic. Polluted Magic does not affect them, for some reason.” Merlin said.

“And how is that relevant?” Arthur asked, even as Morgana felt it click together. Merlin’s face shifted into a more sombre look, and he sighed “You were born of Magic as well, Arthur.” 

Arthur’s face made quite the journey from confusion to understanding to shock. “Are you telling me I could be immune to Morgause and her power?” 

Merlin chewed on his lip. “Did you feel Morgause’s Magic last night? When she took down the wards, or in the Hall?”

“No.” Arthur whispered, slumping onto the bed beside Merlin. “I didn’t.”

Gwen took his hand, absently comforting as the new bit of information was processed. Morgana had mulled over the effect Morgause’s magic had on other users, and it was a bit unexpected, to be honest. Her own abilities had recovered quickly enough, and though she had felt quite ill at first, it was gone once Morgause stopped burning through the wards. But Merlin had fainted in mere minutes due to it, and been physically sick and drained for hours, though his Magic was much stronger than her’s. 

Perhaps that was it. The greater one’s magic was, the more they were affected by her poison. 

Meanwhile, Arthur was still having a silent meltdown. Gwen asked Merlin, “Does that mean it won’t affect him?” 

“Not a clue.” Merlin mumbled. “They just didn’t feel it’s malice, it’s  _ wrongness. _ Doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be immune if it was turned on them.” Arthur groaned. 

Morgana tilted her head, and said to him “Try it.”

“What?”

“Magic. Try a spell. A simple one.”

Arthur looked up, eyes wide and incredulous. Merlin looked between them nervously. Arthur turned to Gwen, who smiled encouragingly. She was an angel, really. 

“Okay.” Merlin’s jaw dropped as Arthur stood up, and Morgana smiled. This Arthur was very quickly winning her over, though she would die before admitting it to him. 

“What...what should I do?” He asked, hands hanging awkwardly at his sides, managing to look both determined and like he would go bolting out the door any moment. Merlin jumped up. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Arthur nodded. Before Morgana could say anymore, Arthur frowned and held up a hand. “Wait. I don’t trust either of you.”

“Arthur!”

“ _ What!? _ ” 

Gwen rolled her eyes as Arthur explained, “Hey, I’d trust you with my life, but I also believe you would not hesitate a single second to make me do something stupid without my knowledge.”

Merlin met Morgana’s eyes, and they shrugged. He had a point. Gwen patted his arm and reassured, “I’ll make sure they don’t, love.” 

That seemed to suffice for him, and he turned to them. “So, what do I do?”

Morgana gestured for Merlin to do the honours. She had, in her mind at least, learn magic not so long ago. She was barely experienced, and teaching Magic was vastly different to using it. 

Merlin held out his hand, and spoke clearly. 

“ _ môna scima. _ ”

The light in the room, now dim due to the setting sun, flickered over his palm for a moment before turning into a brilliant orb, glowing faintly white and blue.  _ Moonlight. _ Arthur stared at it in wonder, before staring at his own palm. 

“Go on, you can do it.” Gwen nudged him, and Arthur swallowed. Raising his own palm, he stared with almost painful focus at it as he uttered the words. Nothing happened. He tried again, face scrunching up even more. Again, nothing.

With a huff, he turned to Morgana. “Your magic is going haywire and showing you false visions. I obviously cannot do magic.” Morgana pursed her lips, and raised a brow. Before she could try transfiguring him into an earthworm, Merlin stepped in. 

“Don’t think too much. You’re putting too much pressure on yourself. Almost no one can do it on their first try.”

“I tried  _ twice _ .”

Merlin gave him a look that said  _ why are you like this _ . “Take a deep breath,” Arthur took a deep breath, “Imagine the light, visualise it as you say the words. Feel the magic around you, and let it flow. Don’t stiffen up.”

“Third time’s the charm.” Morgana muttered.

Arthur inhaled again, eyes closed, and opened them. He stared at the upturned palm for a long moment, then said the incantation. Unsurprisingly enough, it didn’t work. Surprisingly, Arthur looked only mildly annoyed before trying again. 

Apparently,  _ the fourth _ time was the charm.

They all stared at the tiny ball of the blue-white light hovering over Arthur’s palm. Not as bright or as big as Merlin’s was, a little fuzzier, but it was there nonetheless. He stared at his own creation in complete awe, and when it flickered out in a few seconds, Morgana watched him. 

She knew now that he wasn’t like their father. He was kind and sensible and doing his best to accept something he’d grown up as thinking of evil, and so far had been doing wonderfully. She had expected a lot of things after he did the spell; shock, discomfort, or careful consideration. Maybe…. even disgust. 

She had _not,_ however, expected him to break out in a huge grin. It was as wide as could get, and transformed him with how boyish and delighted it was. It was reminiscent of when they sneaked to the kennels and played with the puppies of the hunting hounds as children. Morgana’s heart suddenly felt a few sizes too big. Without warning, she hugged him, tight and brief. 

He regarded her, still looking delighted and also a bit shocked. Fair enough, she had stopped doing that from the time he’d stopped being a sweet and annoying kid and become a brat as a teenager. She ruffled his hair, and as expected, was immediately swatted away. 

Gwen was smiling, soft and proud in equal measure. A choked off noise had them turning to Merlin, and she watched in alarm. His eyes were shining with tears threatening to spill over, and his face tomato-red. Gwen gasped and rushed over to his side. “Gods, Merlin!” She let him lean on her as he opened his mouth, and waved his hands about, sounding choked, “You did it!”

Arthur looked concerned and vaguely awkward. “Come on, I wasn’t that bad.” He offered, smiling unsurely, and Merlin just sniffled harder, trying to grin as well as cry at once. “You used magic. You actually  _ used _ it, and...” he paused to breathe, and waved his hands about in vague gestures “I feel like a mother bird watching her babies fly for the first time.” 

Arthur gaped in horror, and Gwen pressed her lips in a valiant attempt to not laugh. Morgana, however, was not as kind or shocked, and doubled over in laughter. Merlin wiped his face on his sleeve and watched them sheepishly, recovering from his...whatever that was.

“You called me a baby bird!” Arthur stated in outrage, and Morgana couldn’t breathe anymore because of how hard she was laughing. As Gwen shook silently, Arthur and Merlin accosted her till she finally stopped. Gulping down precious air, Morgana forced her features into as neutral an expression as she could. “Please, do go on.” She told them, and Arthur rolled his eyes.

“We shall never speak of this again.” Arthur held up a finger in warning, and Merlin nodded, looking mildly mortified as what he said before sank in, but still mostly delighted. Morgana shrugged noncommittally, and Arthur accepted it before tossing her her sword from the ground. “Come on, we have stuff to do.”

“And once we’re done, I'm going to teach you some more spells.” Merlin declared, and Gwen fell into step beside her as Arthur groused, “So long as you don’t call me a bird or your child again.” 

Gwen didn’t stifle her laugh this time, and neither did Morgana. Gods, her stomach hurt. They headed to the front door, Arthur and Merlin following a little behind them. As Morgana opened the front door, Gwaine’s voice came from the living room and rapidly approached. 

“Okay, who made Merlin cry?” 

“It was Arthur!”, she sang over her shoulder and shut the door behind herself, smiling at Arthur’s noise of protest from the other side.

Having a brother was a lot of fun after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arthur is a Pen'dragon', after all. He gets the perks of being a dragon ;) (spoilers: except flying)
> 
> Feel free to yell at me in the comments :D


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The calm before the storm....   
> (warning : a little bit of angst)

Merlin was soaring in the air. In fact, he felt exactly like a cloud (he knew the feeling firsthand). Arthur’s grin would be forever seared into his heart, and Merlin was so elated right this moment that he couldn't even find it in himself to wince at the baby bird thing. 

Something had...shifted. Between him and Arthur. That one spell had somehow eased a part of them that he hadn’t even realised was taut. 

Merlin winnowed them to the clearing where Morgana and Gwen were standing, currently on the other end. Gwen was trying out the sword, experimentally swinging it through the air in measured strikes. Arthur watched, apparently still mesmerised by the sight of his warrior queen. 

“Who’s idea was it for her to train as a knight?” Arthur asked, and Merlin grinned as they crossed the green to her. “Her own.”

“I knew such an excellent idea could only come from her.” He sighed, looking so like the very embodiment of the heart eyes emoji that Merlin couldn’t help but laugh. 

“What’s the joke?” Morgana asked as they neared, and Merlin grinned back. “Arthur.”

Morgana smirked, and Arthur threw his hands up. 

“Why is it always me that’s getting mocked?”

“To be fair, you  _ are _ the easiest to tease.” Gwen told him with a kind smile. As Arthur looked forlorn at the betrayal, Merlin took a deep breath and roared in dragonspeak. In moments, Aithusa flapped in. The majestic creature landed gracefully, and fixed her eyes on Merlin.

“Emrys, I was going to take a nap.” She informed, somewhat grumpily. Morgana and Gwen immediately appeared at her side, and petted in greeting. “Sorry about that, but we need some help, Aithusa.” She was obviously enjoying the attention, but still made a point of shooting him a harrassed look. The absolute drama queen. 

Merlin folded his arms and told her, “First off, we have to discuss stuff about tomorrow. If you can, get ahold of Daisy and Buttercup and whoever you can get at.” Briefly, he told her about their scheme, and she listened gravely. 

Once he was done, Gwen took over. “After last night and today morning, do you feel upto some forging?” she held up the sword, and Aithusa immediately perked up, as Merlin had expected her to. Her wing shuffled in excitement and her giant tail lashed about like a dog’s. 

“Of course!” Aithusa boomed. Merlin noticed Morgana’s puzzled frown and explained, “If she forges this one, she’ll be the only dragon to ever have forged more that one sword in their lifetime.” 

“Sorry about the first one.” Aithusa rumbled sheepishly, turning to Arthur, who valiantly tried and failed to look cool as a cucumber while being directly addressed by a dragon. Morgana looked pointedly towards the ground, hand still patting Aithusa’s neck. 

“It’s alright.” Arthur finally managed to croak. Merlin gestured to Morgana, and they stepped back as Gwen held up the sword before Aithusa. She engulfed the sword in her flame as Gwen did the required incantation, and it was done within moments. Arthur made a scrunched-up face and whispered to him, “Is that it?”

“What were you expecting, fireworks? Magic explosions? Thunder and lightning?”

Arthur looked at him. “Merlin?”

“Lemme guess. ‘Shut up’?”

“You got it.” 

Aithusa straightened up and stretched out her gigantic wings. “I’ll relay the message to others, and we shall meet you here tomorrow evening, as you ask. All the best, friends.” With that, she swooped up into the skies. Merlin could not think of a single person who could switch between dramatic and boisterously excited as swiftly as her. 

Gwen walked back to them, examining the already cooled blade. Well, as cool as such a blade could get; Dragon forged swords always tend to feel warm to human touch, Merlin had discovered. Gwen presented the weapon to Morgana, who looked at it stoically for a few seconds before sheathing it at her hip once more. “Let’s go.” 

Merlin winnowed them back to the cottage, and were greeted by the sight of Nina demonstrating to Percival, Gwaine and Elyan how to play some game or the other on her phone. 

Arthur’s voice took Merlin by surprise. “She...she can’t come with us. It’s too dangerous.” he said, low enough that only the four of them heard it. Merlin watched her, laughing as Elyan tried and failed beating her score. 

She had been screaming in Morgana’s vision. 

“I’ll call Eva and Shreya. We have to catch them up anyway, and they will find a place for her to stay.” Another young person with their whole life ahead of them couldn’t be drawn into the mess of things so much bigger than them, like they all had been. 

“I agree wholeheartedly,” Morgana said, “but she’s not going to like it. Who’s telling her she’s not coming with us?” 

Immediately, they turned to Gwen, and she sighed. “Fine.” To Merlin’s despair, she grabbed his hand firmly. “But you’re coming with me.” 

Not very surprisingly, Arthur and Morgana did nothing to persuade her otherwise, and Merlin let himself be dragged over to the armchair where Nina sat with her new friends. “Excuse me, gentlemen,” Gwen greeted the group. “I need a moment with Nina.” 

The ‘gentlemen’ acqueiseingly got up and slunk away, Percival giving the girl a reassuring ‘pat’ before leaving. From Nina’s slight grimace-like smile, it was as hard as his usual. “It means he likes you.” Merlin informed her, and she gave a real smile, gray eyes twinkling. “Yeah, he’s pretty cool. All of them are.” she admitted, and then asked, “So, what is it you wanna talk about?” She asked, tilting her head curiously. 

Oh boy. Merlin looked pointedly at Gwen, who softly said “We’re calling Shreya in a little bit, and she’ll take you home.”

_ Oh no _ . He should’ve done this. Between all that happened, he’d somehow forgotten about their conversation last night, how upset the girl had been at the mention of going home. The same distressed look flashed across her face, and Merlin spoke before she could, “She means somewhere safe. With a friend, maybe-”

“Jude will be there, Merlin. I’m sorry, but I'm coming with.” She said firmly, not a hint of fear in her. Gwen took a deep breath, as though bracing herself. “Do you trust us?”

Nina sighed and looked down. “I- Yeah.”

“Then leave. Let us-”

“If any of the people in this house were in danger, would you stay home while others went off to help them? Could  _ you _ stay put?” She looked right at them, like she knew the answer to it. 

“No.” Merlin muttered, and Gwen didn’t stop him. She looked a bit guilty, in fact. 

“Well, there you go.”

Gwen implored her, “Nina, you and Jude are too young to have been dragged into all this. You can’t risk the life ahead of you. You have family-”

“I don’t care about my family, and they definitely don’t give a shit about me.” Nina spoke softly, but it had a bitter, hard edge to it. She pulled her hand back from Gwen’s. “I was dropped off by a taxi at the druid’s headquarters within a day of my magic presenting. I was thirteen then. They paid my fees, made sure I got a good education so that I was off their hands as soon as possible. The one time I tried meeting them, I was asked to make an appointment. To see my own mother.” she huffed and went on, “After that, I held my own. Jude is the only person who was always there for me. Six years, we’ve been each other's family. I’m not staying back.” 

_ Don’t leave me behind, Merlin. Please. _

Merlin nearly jumped when Nina’s voice rang clearly in his head. She’d never done this before, and Merlin felt really torn now. He had learned long ago that speaking this way was a symbol of trust, letting one’s mind speak and leaving it vulnerable. Merlin had been through a lot. But he’d always had his mum, he’d always had Gaius, who loved him magic and all. All his friends never left him alone, before or after the magic. So yes, Merlin had been through a lot, felt lonely at times, but he’d never been unloved. 

Gwen turned to him, unsure. 

_ Alright. _

“I’ll ask you to reconsider it, deeply, think for a bit. And if you ask any of us, we  _ will _ advise you to not come. But.....it’s up to you.” Merlin sighed. His determination had crumbled like a piece of cake. 

Nina smiled back. “Thanks.” Merlin nodded, and so did Gwen (still looking a bit unsure, as Merlin himself probably did). Right then, a voice came from the doorway behind them. 

“Well, if you’re going to run headfirst into danger anyways, I’d better make sure your powers have recovered.” Gaius stepped forward, waving a small vial full of a murky looking liquid. “You’ll be needing this for a full recovery.”

Nina’s smile slipped into a look of horror. “I just had some when I woke up! Gaius, please, It’s disgusting.” 

Gwen raised a brow. “It’s the cost of doing crazy stuff, like coming with us tomorrow.” Nina made a face at her and then the affronting vial, but took it anyways. 

“Don’t fuss, Nina.” Merlin told her. “I once had to taste a potion with eyes of a lamb, guts of a frog and brains of a rat in it.” 

Nina gagged, and looked, horrified, between Gaius and the vial. “What’s in this thing?” Very helpfully, Gaius raised a brow. “Are you sure you want to know?” 

With a grimace, she downed it in one go and stood up. “Where’s the chocolate?” she demanded. Gwaine’s head appeared in the doorway to the backyard. “Did someone say chocolate?”

As the pair raided his stash, Merlin sighed, fishing for his phone. “I’ll be right back, gotta call Shreya.” 

Gwen bit her lip. “She won’t be very happy about Nina.” 

“I’ll manage.”

****

After the very long call, Merlin found himself picking his way through the mud path in the woods. It was dusk and the sky was dappled in beautiful shades of pink and orange. His magic pulsed sofly just under his skin, warm against the chill in the air. He took a deep breath, and soaked it all in as he walked. Nature was always soothing, calming. After whole centuries worth of excitement packed into the last few days, he needed this. 

It had taken some convincing for Shreya to grudgingly give in to Nina joining them. She had taken the information fairly well; that is, she had just gone  _ really _ silent for a minute instead of outright flipping out. As long as she had stuff to organise, she was in her element. And organising all the druids still willing and able to help for tomorrow was up to her, so she’d be fine. 

Reaching the lake, he found Freya already perched on a rock just a few feet from the water, their usual spot. She waved as he plodded over and sat down on the grass, leaning back against the cool stone. 

“How are you now?” He asked, wrapping his own hand over the one she placed on his shoulder. 

“Pretty much back to normal.” She smiled and he pulled her hand closer. “I could ask you the same.” She said, and Merlin tilted his head back to see her better. Lovely as always, as bright as ever. He let down the wall around his mind, and let the incidents of the last few days be known to her. She had been a druid in her first life, afterall. 

The brightness in her eyes didn’t dim, and though he could tell she was affected, she just sighed. “You know, you’ve done stuff like this so many times. They mostly work out.”

“Mostly. But if this flops, there’s nothing else to do.” 

“Hey.” She nudged closer, and when Merlin shifted, joined him on the grass. “There’s me, there’s you, there’s Arthur and Gwen and Morgana and all the others, there’s the druids, and the priests. We’re all here, and we’ll do our best. Tomorrow won’t be in vain.” 

Merlin smiled ruefully as she rested her head on his shoulder. 

He had been handling it all pretty well, much to his own surprise. No matter how many potentially fatal and risky situations he’d gone through over the years, they  _ never _ got any more appealing or tolerable. He was always on edge, and tense all through such ordeals. But something was different, this time. Maybe because this was the one his destiny had always led to, or maybe because of the company he would have tomorrow, but Merlin was anything but nervous. Just determined, to keep everyone safe tomorrow. And bind those ancient beings for at least the next few eons, whatever the cost.

_ The cost _ . The first time, a goddess had to give up her soul to finish the spell. Aiden had handed him the incantation he would need. Even though it was just on paper, every time he touched it, Merlin felt the power of those words echo in his own magic. 

Maybe binding them would be less demanding the second time. Maybe he would just have to use his power and do it, like any other enchantment. Or maybe, it would be the last thing he would ever do, before fading into nothing himself. 

Freya could hear him think, he knew. She stayed still for a quiet moment, and slowly faced him. For the first time in so long he couldn’t even tell, Merlin saw that ever-present glimmer in her eyes dim. She didn’t cry, but looked so deeply sad it hurt. 

“So this.......this is a goodbye.” She whispered, voice achingly small. 

Merlin smiled, and took her hand. “Maybe. Maybe not.” He squeezed her hand, and she looked up again. She had always said his smile was the most infectious thing ever, and though Merlin found it ridiculously cheesy, she never failed to return it in equal measure. But today, she just...stared. So sad. 

He tried to will his own strange sense of peace to reach her. “If I come back, great. But if I don’t, I couldn’t just go without seeing you.”  _ One last time.  _

Freya stayed silent for a long, long time. Finally, she leaned in and pressed her lips against his gently. Merlin instinctively wrapped her arms around her, and she pulled back, fingers running over his cheek, light as cotton. She said, “I.....I always thought we would be together. I’m pretty sure  _ I  _ can't get any more dead, and you’re technically immortal, but even if you were to die somehow, I feel it in my heart, you would always return to Avalon. Never even,” she chuckled weakly “Never considered you dissolving into the void to bind the Gods. How silly."

Merlin shrugged, firmly locking his hands together behind her back. “Hey, I could return to Avalon. Or even  _ not die _ , let’s not discount that as a possibility.” He teased, pouting in mock consternation. Almost as though against her will, Freya laughed, and though that sad look didn’t entirely fade, she was smiling for real. All his morbid thoughts were still there, but now lurked away to brood in a far corner of the mind before that smile. Fifteen centuries of globetrotting, and he’d seen nothing that beautiful. 

He’d told her that a thousand times, and did so again. Freya shook her head. “You total sap.”

“Only for you.” Merlin pulled a hand back, conjuring a small red rose and holding it between them. 

Freya accepted with a laugh, and as always, tucked it into her braid. She settled against him and stayed as the night deepened.

He woke up to the first light of dawn, alone on the green bank of Avalon. The last thing he remembered before drifting off was the feel of her fingers running through his hair, and her whisper dancing faintly in the breeze. 

“ _ I’m proud of you. I love you _ .” 

Merlin smiled at the placid waters, before turning and walking away. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :')


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)

The very last bit of sunlight faded as the dragon circled the large lake, the shadows of Samhain’s dark evening leaving them undetected. Merlin scanned the ground for Morgause’s Harbingers from Daisy’s back, keeping his own magic undetectable. Sure enough, the sorcerers were situated in a loose circle around the large lake, at whose center was the Isle of the blessed. Morgause wasn’t there yet, but the presence of her men indicated it wouldn’t be very long before it started.

They sped back to the clearing cottage once more, where the winnowers of the Druids and Priests were waiting along with his friends. Merlin climbed off of Daisy and approached the others. 

“So?” Eva asked evenly, though her eyes were anxious. She and Shreya weren’t wearing suits this time, but plain dark pants and shirts under large and equally dark cloaks. Nina had also got one of those. Everyone was dressed more or less the same, a few sans cloaks, except for Arthur and the knights, who were in the full chainmail and red cloak ensemble. Merlin spotted a few of the younger druids itching to examine it in full detail; probably the history majors. There would be time for that later. Hopefully.

Merlin shook off these thoughts and focused before his head could get cluttered with every possible way everything could go wrong. “Harbingers positioned around the lake. No one in the Isle just yet, but it won’t be long.” He described their positions as briefly as possible, and soon they had divided the group of 50-odd druids who had arrived to help, about 20 priests and the knights into groups, each with a winnower who would winnow them precisely to the determined spots. 

Gaius were staying at the cottage, armed with all sorts of physician-ly stuff and Meg was keeping him company because “the 4th century physician has no clue what to do with a band-aid, Merls”.

Nina had been put in the same group as Percival, and seemed more than okay with that. She actually high-fived him, surprisingly calm for a nineteen year old about to help fight an evil, super powerful sorceress. Merlin was a little impressed.

If anyone noticed that Morgana. Merlin, Arthur and Gwen had not been divided among the teams, they said nothing. In fact, if they succeeded in their bit, things would definitely be much easier for the teams. If they failed, well........it wouldn’t be pleasant.

Gwaine gripped him by the shoulders and smiled, though it wasn’t his usual brash grin. “Stay safe.” he said with a squeeze, and Merlin nodded. “Don’t do anything stupid yourself. You too,” he added to Elyan, who was just talking to Gwen. 

“I’ll make sure.” Leon assured Merlin, and Lance smiled. “Me too.” He said, and earned incredulous looks from all of them. 

“You’re a rash decision making hazard, Lance. Don’t lie to yourself.” Gwaine informed him, and Lance sighed. 

As they walked to their respective groups, Merlin turned to Gwen and Arthur. “Right, see you there. Remember, don’t-”

“-jump in too early or unnecessarily.” Arthur finished the sentence for him. “Yes, we’ve heard it at least a hundred times since morning.” 

Merlin smiled, and took both of them in carefully. He couldn’t help the worry writhing in him. Gwen pulled him into a brief hug, and kissed his cheek. “You be careful. It’s going to work out fine.” She told him firmly, and Merlin nodded. With one last smile, slightly nervous despite her own reassurance, she went to Morgana. 

Merlin turned to Arthur to find him staring with a weird look. “Don’t get yourself killed. That’s an order.” he said, and Merlin replied, “Same goes for you.”

Arthur nodded gravely, and gave him a sudden tight hug before turning to Morgana. After a brief, quiet exchange with her, he headed over to where Gwen was already sitting on Buttercup’s back. As Gwen helped him up and Buttercup waited patiently, Merlin felt a sudden melancholy. He hoped this wasn’t the last he’d ever see of them.

With a deep breath, he turned to Morgana. She was wearing, like most of the druids, black pants and shirt, with a thick cloak to match. Gwen had one too, and Merlin had no idea where they came from. Probably Eva’s idea. The freshly burnished sword glinted with the dull gleam at her hip, and Morgana looked understandably grim. 

“Are you ready?” she asked curtly, and Merlin took another deep breath and lied. 

“Yes.”

****

Morgana steeled herself to all emotions bubbling up inside, and breathed deeply to relax as Aithusa and Buttercup silently approached the Isle of the blessed, undetectable even to the most discerning eyes against the now black sky. Even the stars were obscured by dark, dense clouds. 

Though she couldn’t see them, Morgana knew Arthur and Gwen were nearby on Buttercup. She was on Aithusa, with Merlin who had adopted his cloud form and was currently floating and keeping pace at Aithusa’s side. Even that couldn’t make her smile now, though. 

As the Isle came into view, Morgana’s heart beat faster. Then she saw the shapes moving in the shadows all the way down there and cursed. 

“We’re late.” She informed the cloud. She wasn’t sure if he could see things in this form; it definitely didn’t have eyes. “She’s approaching the Isle, and there are two others with her.”

Aithusa swooped down in the back of the isle, somehow managing to stay undetected, and Morgana slid off her back. Without noise, she vanished into the dark sky once more. Merlin the cloud was almost invisible in the gloom of the night, but Morgana could feel him glide alongside her as she picked a way through the rocks towards the entrance of the temple. 

Morgana froze at the sound that reached her. The gentle lapping of water. She would’ve missed it were she not waiting for it. As she stepped into the darkest shadow near her, about thirty feet around the corner of the wall she was plastered against a familiar boat docked at the hard banks. She watched as Morgause stepped off, followed by two figures, just dark silhouettes in the gloom. 

One of the figures muttered something intelligible from so far, and Morgana’s hand twitched towards her sword as the boat caught fire, consuming the wood in mere seconds and reducing it to a charred husk. Morgause, however, didn’t wait to watch as she strode right into the high, cavernous structure where the Altar resided. The two figures followed her. 

Morgana took a deep breath of the cold air, willing it to calm the rolling waves inside herself. This was it, their only chance. 

She treaded through the shadows towards the entrance, which was now flanked by two blazing torches. Now was not the time to let her fear win. Happen whatever may, she was going to do her best to end this for good. She stepped into the torchlight. 

Simultaneously, she also released her magic, lifting the damper she had put to conceal it, letting it course warm and familiar through her person. Morgause and her two sentinels stood at the altar. Morgause’s frame tensed before she whipped around, sensing the new presence. 

Morgana walked in, each step bringing them closer. Morgause’s glare relaxed into a look of surprise. 

“I thought I'd lost you to the Priests.” she said, even her muttered words loud in the stillness of the place. Now that she was closer, Morgana realised that one of the people accompanying Morgause was Jude, expression as slack and devoid of consciousness as ever. 

“I got away.” Morgana’s voice came out steady, much to her own surprise. As she spoke, that nauseating trepidation melted away, leaving only grounding determination in its wake. “You cannot complete this ritual, Morgause.” 

Morgause, who had started to step closer to her, froze in her steps. The pleased smile of hers slipped away, replaced by a wary look. “What do you mean, sister? I was rather hoping you could help, instead. Your rather powerful Magic will be of use to me.” 

“It’s a false promise, whatever the Goddess told you. There will be no peace or justice if you do it, only desolation. Trust me, I speak for you as well as the whole world.” 

Morgause’s brows shot up, and she asked, “You tell that a  _ goddess _ has been lying to me, and expect me to believe you? What could ever drive you to say so?”

Morgana shifted slightly, making sure her blade was hidden in the folds of the dark cloak. “The Gods are not the benevolent and kind figures we’ve revered for centuries. They are agents of chaos, and destruction. They care nothing for us, except maybe as sport.” As she formed the words, the bleak truth, the desolate hopelessness of it washed over her again. Her voice was bitter as she said, “Any peace or balance we wish for, we must achieve ourselves. There is nobody to guide or watch over us, Morgause.” 

A frantic glint lit Morgause’s eyes. “And who told you this?”

“Those who were there when these Gods were first banished, who saw it happen and kept the terrible truth alive among them for thousands of years. Even now, they try to stop you and warn you.”

“Who?” Morgause hissed. 

Morgana met her glare with one of her own, and paused for a long, tense moment before saying, “The Priests of Catha.”

A loud, near hysterical laugh burst from Morgause; it sounded brittle, dangerously close to the edge of some dark precipice that would soon swallow her whole. The madness of it chilled Morgana’s very soul.

“Those traitors of their own kind, you trust them? Believe whatever nonsense they concocted, in fear of that which they do not understand?” she spat, without a trace of mirth. “Are you so afraid of the change? Do you not yearn for  _ freedom _ , a fearless life, for  _ power _ ? Because we will have all that and more. We will have vengeance for what was taken from us. So decide, Sister. Are you with me or not?” 

And just like that, Morgana knew it was hopeless. Maybe it was sometime while she was remade, or even all those years ago, but no words or reasoning was ever going to help Morgause see the truth of what she was, what she was doing in the name of justice and revenge. And despite everything, sorrow weighed down Morgana’s heart. 

But she wasn’t letting it show. There was only one way to end this, and whatever needed to be done to ensure that, she would do. With all her will, Morgana lowered her gaze in an imitation of shame. “I am with you. It was my mistake.” 

Morgause stepped closer and lifted her palm, cradling the side of Morgana’s face with it. “We all make mistakes. It’s fine. You’re here now.” She smiled again, and Morgana’s breath caught. This wasn’t the malicious smirk portending the receiver's end, or the look of fake benevolence given to her followers. It was a real smile, from one sister to another. She hated using that love. 

She forced herself to nod and return the smile and Morgause, unaware of what was behind it, turned to the stone altar. Morgana was now facing her back, not more than a couple meters away. “It is time.” she announced, and Morgana readied herself. They were all standing behind the altar, facing the entrance. Merlin was presumably floating somewhere around or above them, mixed with the gloomy, thick mist curling in shaded sides and under the high ceiling; he wasn’t going to reveal himself until absolutely necessary, because if Morgause somehow managed to take his powers too........needless to say, it would be very bad news.

Morgause released her own venomous power and held her hand out to Jude, who had been impassive all this while. He reached into the fold of his own cloak, and pulled out a wickedly sharp-looking dagger. He stretched his arm to hand it over as Morgana gripped the hilt of her own blade. It was warm and heavy under her hand as she drew it silently.

The clatter of metal against stone came from just outside the entranceway, and Morgause immediately tensed. Morgana froze instinctively, and the moment of hesitation cost dearly. Before she could move again, Morgause flung her hand out and dragged three shapes from the dark. 

Gwen, Arthur, and...... _.somehow _ , Nina. 

Morgana drew the sword swiftly, and her blade flashed in firelight as it swung through the air towards Morgause

And stopped a mere inch from her back. 

Panic rose like a wave as Morgause turned slowly, not backing off from the blade at all. Why would she, when the poisoned tendrils of her vile Magic held Morgana motionless against her will? She strained, slamming her own against it, but Morgause didn’t even seem to notice. Her black eyes burned with betrayal and hate. 

Morgana screamed as the hand holding her sword twisted against her wish and watched helplessly through tears of pain as the blade clattered to the floor. “The enchantment wore off once you died, did it?” Morgause said, voice low and menacing. The temperature of the air dropped with her power. “One falsehood after another. You lied. You betrayed your own kin!” she yelled, and Morgana felt something deep inside her flared at the words

“How _dare_ you call me a traitor.” She growled, thrashing against the invisible ropes binding her. “You wanted nothing but my Magic. When I refused to serve your wicked plans, you twisted my _mind and soul_ till I was nothing but a servant of your will. You stole my _life_! _You_ betrayed _me_!”

“You left me no choice.” Morgause stepped closer, and Morgana’s gaze flitted briefly to Arthur, Gwen and Nina on the floor, struggling against their own magical bindings. Where the hell was Merlin!? Morgause went on, “You were too forgiving, too weak. For months I tried to make you see, but you lacked ambition. I had to do it for your own good.” There was something beseeching in her tone that turned Morgana’s stomach. She expected her to understand? To sympathise? 

“Don’t even try to explain it. You used me for your purposes. And now, your Goddess is using you. Stop this before it’s too late. Before all is lost.”

Morgause stared for a long moment. Then she stepped away, face set in cruel, hard lines. “The ritual cannot be delayed anymore. I shall deal with you and your _ friends- _ ” she said the words like they tasted bitter on her tongue, nodding to the three bound figures on the other side of the altar “-after this.”

She walked again to the Altar, and a fresh terror washed over Morgana as an idea crossed her mind. As though she read her thoughts (maybe she could, who knew), Morgause said flatly, “Think whatever you want, but I do not wish to make you watch me kill them out of spite.” 

Morgana snarled wildly,“You’ve fooled no one but yourself, using righteousness as a mask for cruelty. A tyrant, no better than Uther.” 

That struck a chord apparently, because the next moment, all the air rushed out of Morgana’s lungs as she was slammed into the solid stone of a pillar. The last thing she knew was a moment of mind-numbing pain, and then the shadows grew till they turned everything dark.

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MERLIN WHERE ARE YOU!!???


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a LOT going on in this one, strap yourselves in folks.

Just as Merlin was about to float in undetected after Morgana as she made her entrance, he noticed the shape moving in the dark. Looked like they weren’t the only ones making use of the shadows. 

He hovered for a few seconds, torn between following Morgana and checking on the skulking figure. That’s when he noticed another shadow move a little further, and decided. If they were Morgause’s people, taking them out of the equation was necessary. It wouldn’t take too long, and Arthur and Gwen were at a definite disadvantage out here with many magic wielders.

Floating towards the ominous shapes, Merlin suppressed a rumble as he noticed the black Triquetra on the back of their palm- the same one he’d seen on the Harbingers in the Druid HQ. He couldn’t very well take them out as a cloud without Morgause sensing his presence, and the element of surprise was what they were counting on. So he found a quiet spot around the wall and returned to his normal form. He usually did it in a quick flash, but keeping his Magic unnoticed as he morphed back took effort, and it took a minute or so.

All the while, he watched the entrance to make sure none of the figures moved in. Thankfully, they didn't. These were probably reinforcements in case of emergencies, and had arrived just before they had; no one could winnow in or out of the Isle. 

Human once again, Merlin crept up behind the first figure crouched in the dark. With a hand muffling their mouth and some carefully contained magic, they fell asleep soundlessly.

Merlin repeated the process with the four others successfully, and no alarms were raised. But he’d left the others alone for longer than he was comfortable. Unease twisted his insides. Why hadn’t he seen Arthur and Gwen out here yet? It wasn’t like the Isle was very large. 

He hurried back to the entrance, and avoided the light of torches as he sneaked a look around the corner. And his heart stopped at the sight. He had made the worst possible decision.

Arthur, Gwen - and for some  _ godforsaken _ reason  _ Nina -  _ were before the stone altar, struggling against invisible bonds and shouting. Dread tightened its grip over his heart as he spotted Morgana slumped limply at the foot of a pillar, horribly still and pale as death. A Harbinger stood with Morgause behind the Altar, and another was stretched out over the Altar itself. As Morgause raised her dagger to strike the fatal blow, Merlin recognised the young boy who was about to become sacrifice. 

Jude Masters. 

That kicked Merlin out of his shock, and as the Dagger came swooshing down straight for Jude’s heart, Merlin lashed out. Everything around him slowed, and another flick of his hand had the dagger flying out of Morgause’s grip, hair’s breadth from its destination. But he couldn’t hold it for long; Merlin already felt his power draining with the effort and Morgause’s presence. 

Nina’s heartbreaking scream rang through the large hall as the dagger went down, not realising what had happened. As time started flowing again, there was a moment of confusion as the dagger clattered to the floor. Merlin didn’t waste any time in directing his power to Jude himself, who startled to his senses so hard that he jerked right off the Altar with a curse. 

Morgause’s wild glare found Merlin, and before she could attack, Merlin sent her flying to the wall far behind her. Or, at least tried to.

She shielded herself, and whereas anyone else’s shield would have shredded to ribbons under his force, she just staggered back a few feet. The smirk twisting her mouth told Merlin she knew that, and had also felt his magic recoil from her stolen power. 

However, shielding against him had apparently taken all her focus because almost immediately, Arthur was up and ready with Excalibur. Morgause’s eyes followed them, sharp and alert behind a veneer of disdain as Nina dragged her very confused friend away to the side, and Gwen ran to Morgana. 

Morgause tilted her head slightly, and as Merlin stepped forward into the light of the torches, her eyes widened. “You. The servant boy.” she muttered, and a disbelieving, bitter laugh escaped her. “There’s only one person who wields such powerful Magic,  _ Emrys _ .”

He didn’t respond, and followed her as she slowly stepped closer. “A good disguise you’ve worn for all these years. You managed to stay hidden so long from me and Morgana. You must be clever indeed.”

“Doesn’t need to, really. You’re not as sharp as you think.” Gwen snapped, on her knees with a still unconscious Morgana leaning against her. Morgause shot her a withering glare, and Gwen stared right back. Merlin prepared to jump between them, but Morgause knew better than to attack her with him nearby. 

It was probably no use, but Merlin tried anyway. If not to make things easier, then at least for Morgana. “Stop this now. All that’s going to happen is the world ending. The Gods are not what the Morrigan wants you to believe.”

“Don’t shift the blame for your incapability onto them,  _ Emrys _ . They granted you such great gifts, and you don’t hesitate in forsaking them. I know of the prophecy, and how spectacularly you failed your purpose.”

“Enough!” Arthur hissed from his side. “Your own actions contributed to the delay of justice for Magic, despite Merlin staking everything to achieve it. You’ve caused enough harm. Stand down.” 

Morgause’s eyes settled on him with a sneer. “A Pendragon talking about justice.” She huffed. “Don’t speak of things you do not understand. You use Magic when it suits you, and persecute it otherwise. Have you beguiled Emrys as well as Morgana with your silver tongue?” 

In any other circumstance, Merlin would’ve laughed his head off at Arthur being called ‘silver-tongued’. Before either of them could reply, Gwen caught her attention. Morgana getting hurt snapped something in her, and Merlin had never seen her this enraged. “All you will receive in return for releasing the gods is misery, and you’ll doom everyone else with you. Morgana’s right, you’re nothing but a puppet here.” Morgause took a threatening step towards her, and Merlin reflexively channeled every once of Magic he could spare into the barrier between them. And the sorceress attacked. 

Were it directed at Gwen and Morgana, or Arthur, or even Nina and Jude, it would have bounced off his shield. But Morgause went straight for Merlin himself. 

He fell to his knees, choking as that black Magic tried to crawl freezingly down his throat. His magic tried to burn through it, to kill it before it latched on for good. He couldn’t let it happen. The thought of lying prone, helpless as Morgause ensured the world’s doom filled him with a wild desperation, and he fought with all of his power. 

It was taking a toll on Morgause, however. She bound the others once again, and her expression was strained. Morgana had said she was saving up her power for this very moment, and would need it to complete her ritual. 

What if.....she didn’t have enough?

It could very well be the end of him. But it would give them a fighting chance. 

Merlin relaxed, letting that poison enter him in full force. It was worse, so much worse than before. That cold, rotten power poured in greedily and sizzled against his own. It felt like he was being twisted, inside out. And Merin let it. The more he took, the better.

_ Just a little more. I can take some more.  _

It ached like nothing before, and his vision started to blur. Merlin tried to stop the flow, to contain that chunk of darkness and separate it from it’s mistress. She couldn’t use what she didn’t have. Just as he tried to cut it off, it stopped. Merlin looked up, and despite the mass of icy black clawing at him inside-out, froze.

Considering that he’d stolen a large chunk of her direly-needed magic, Morgause should have been enraged, or afraid, or fleeing. Conserving what remained of her power, at the very least. 

But Morgause was smiling.

The others were still in her invisible grip. 

Through the haze of mind-numbing pain as the darkness writhed and fought against all attempts to be put out, Merlin collapsed to the cold stone floor. The other Harbinger walked forward and lay herself on the altar. Merlin was dimly aware of someone screaming.....something. He couldn’t tell anymore. Some remote part of his mind that still worked despite the horror and pain nagged him. It couldn’t happen. The sacrifice would open the veil, and that would be the end. 

As Morgause brought down the dagger the second time that night, that bit of him struggled to gather and throw everything to stop her. And failed. 

He could do nothing but watch as the blade descended, and thrust into the heart of the blank-faced girl’s heart. She didn’t even flinch, and slipped away with the same empty look on her face. There was absolute silence as everyone watched in stunned horror.

Rage, frustration and pain all mingled together and ripped out of Merlin a single cry that rang loudly through the hall. There was no Magic behind it, no summons or calling, just pure primal emotion. 

Even as the Rift in the Veil appeared behind Morgause, the twin roars that replied shook the Isle to it’s very foundations and rumbled through their bones. The loud sound of rushing air came from outside as Aithusa’s flames cast a flash of blinding light through the archway. That was the signal. And though nothing could be heard over the rush of Dragonfire, their allies would now be winnowing in and disarming the Harbingers all around the waters of the Isle. 

Fear flickered across Morgause’s face as the hall shook. Through the dark abyss behind the rift, countless wisps of gray smoke poured out, parting around the people inside. Their appearance seemed to snap Morgause back into herself. With a near-manic expression, she walked to Merlin and gripped his collar, dragging him up till they were face to face. “Any reinforcements you have, they cannot stand against the Doroccha. They will rip through anyone in my way. Through all your people on the banks.” she hissed.

If he weren’t being consumed from the inside, Merlin would’ve felt smug. Not a single one of those Dorochha was getting past the wall of fire the dragons were keeping up. But the fact that Morgause wasn’t panicking about her lost power bored into his barely conscious mind. She dragged him past Gwen and Morgana; Gwen tried to reach him, but it was useless against her magical bonds.

She flung him to the hard stone a few feet from the rift, and Merlin went crashing. He was too weak to lift his arms and protect his face, too weak to use even a kernel of his terribly hurt magic; she hadn’t even bothered to bind him. Merlin coughed, tasting blood and the rancid power as he spat it out. His eyes roved around, to Nina who was frozen, still bodily shielding Jude, crying. Then to Arthur, who looked positively murderous. Their eyes locked, and Arthur’s eyes followed the blood trickling down the side of his face. 

His face went blank for a moment, and then he said to Morgause, “Leave them. Do whatever you want, take me if necessary.” 

_ Oh, Arthur. _ Merlin’s panicked, hoarse “No!” went unheard, and Arthur went on. “Let Merlin go. Let them all go, and finish your ritual. If you need someone, take me. I am born of magic, surely I could be of some use. Please.”

_ No, you cabbagehead!  _ Merlin wanted to shout, and if any of his heart was left to break, it did at the pleading of his voice. “Arthur! No...” Gwen choked out, eyes flashing with stubborn rage and tears. 

They both went ignored, and Morgause sneered at Arthur. “As gratifying it is to see a Pendragon plead for mercy, no can do. Your little sorcerer friend-” she tilted her head to Merlin, “-should’ve thought of it before taking some of my Magic. Unfortunately for you, he didn’t think things through.” Once again, her gaze burned into him. “My Magic is too much for you to handle, even the fraction you took. And if you can trap mine, I can take all of yours.”

Merlin tried to scramble away, but too much of him was consumed. A hopelessness that went deeper than oceans crashed through him as he was dragged up once more. She was going to do to him what she had done to so many other sorcerers, and use it to doom the world to desolation. 

Everything would be gone, and it would be his fault.

As she was about to smite him to a pile of ash, Merlin’s life didn’t flash before his eyes. The notion was ridiculous, considering how long he’d lived. He clawed weakly at the hand holding him, to no avail. This couldn’t be the end, no matter what. There had to be something to be done, some way-

The sudden presence had everyone turning to the Rift. Pure, terrifyingly large power loomed on the other side of it. The edges of the Rift, which had till then flickered a blue-white were now blood red. The color streaked into the black abyss as well. A shock-wave of the presence rippled through the room, and everyone and everything went absolutely still. Well, except for Morgana, who jerked awake. Morgause’s magical bonds fell away from the others as she stared at the rift with awe. And yet no one moved. 

The sound which followed was ten times louder and deeper than Aithusa’s roar. Merlin felt his blood and Magic curdle and the cold darkness pulse excitedly as he realised what it was. Laughter.

“ _ It is time, Morgause.”  _ Morrigan's voice resonated and echoed, loud as thunder and soft as a whisper at once.  _ “ Take his magic for your own. Set us free.” _

With dull fascination and horror, Merlin realised  _ there was no voice _ . They didn’t hear anything. They simply knew. The Phantom Queen’s wordless language was a phantom as well. 

_ “ _ My Lady.” Morgause fell down on one knee before her, and bowed her head. Then, with an eerily calm face, she walked to Merlin. Hauling him up, she said, “Whatever you may think or do, at least your final breaths will be used for the good of Magic.”

There was a moment as her palm pressed against his heart, when everyone in the room moved to stop her. But they were too far away. Merlin couldn’t make any noise as he felt her magic seep into him, claiming his own. There was shouting and pleading as his mind fell into a numb haze, but some sort of transparent shield cocooned him and Morgause, keeping them out of reach from the others. A dull grief filled him as he felt the last stubborn spark of his magic corrode into that frigid darkness. 

That’s when he realised his body wasn’t turning into ash, as it should have moments ago. Their eyes locked, and Morgause’s widened in a slowly building, fanatic fear. She spat, “What are you-”

_ “Emrys......Your form is powerful as your magic. More so than any I could build.”  _ Morgause turned desperately to the rift as Morrigan made herself known.  _ “Hmmm. Perhaps I was too hasty in choosing Morgause to free me and to be bound to. You, Emrys, will be a much more comfortable, potent vessel.” _

As the words were said, Morgause tried to pry her hand away from him. But it seemed glued to him, as all of that power reversed its flow from her to him. Merlin could barely breathe as it forced into him, saturating every inch. It went on for a few agonizing minutes which felt more like an eternity. 

Once it was all inside him, that shield collapsed and Morgause staggered away, 

gaping in pure, disbelieving shock between Merlin and the rift. “My Lady, I serve you and no one else! You cannot do this to me, after all I‘ve done-”

“ _ Loyalty is rather overrated. You humans are ridiculous, though it was quite entertaining to have you dance to my wishes. The more powerful the vessel, the easier it is to raze the world to nothing.”  _

Merlin almost felt sorry for Morgause as she shook her head, desperately trying to cling to faith. Merlin looked around the room, and saw that everyone had been flung several meters away as the shield had vanished. Arthur staggered to his feet as Morgana helped Gwen up, still worryingly pale but present.

Then he realised he was standing on his own, and painlessly. Though it was very cold. 

Merlin realised, feeling more and more detached from the room with each passing minute, that his magic was gone. His veins of his palms stood a stark grey against his pale skin. Whatever he had had rotten away to...this. But it wasn’t agonising anymore, as there was nothing to fight.

Morrigan's voice rang out again. “ _ You haven’t lost everything. Free me, Emrys. You can be as powerful as one of us. Join me, and we can have the whole world.”  _ Her non-voice was hypnotic, and Merin took a step forward. Someone shouted his name, and he turned back to see Nina and her friend, Arthur and Gwen and Morgana. 

He didn’t really want the whole world, did he? They were more than enough.

_ “I will even let you keep your friends, for entertainment. Have you not suffered enough for centuries? You need not hold back anymore. Free me, Emrys, and free yourself.” _

He had suffered. Again and Again. Ending it once and for all would be so good. So peaceful, at last. Merlin took another step. Then another. The Morrigan’s wild delight echoed louder. His feet were moving, and he couldn’t stop. Slowly, it dawned on him that he wanted to. 

She drew him closer, till he stood a mere meter away from the rift. His or not, power was power, and he could use it as he wished. Merlin crouched, pressing his palms to the cold stone, and began the incantation to banish her forever. 

The red grew deeper, and Her presence stronger. 

Merlin pulled back, and everything reeled as The Morrigan laughed again. Had the Priests lied? Was this the wrong enchantment? What was he doing wrong? 

How was he going to stop this?

“I- I don’t unde-”

_ “This is my magic, Warlock. Loss of life was not the only reason this dark magic was banned. It does  _ my _ bidding, fuels  _ me _. Why do you think I made Morgause do it? You must know there’s easier ways to gather power.” _

“Oh..” Merlin stumbled back, her words like a blow. The one time the stakes were the highest, he was going to fail. How? This was what it was all leading up to, and it couldn’t end in ruin. 

_ “Yes, it is rather painful. ‘It’s not fair!’”  _ Her soundless words were mocking. “ _ But you see, I am old enough to know that there is no such thing as ‘fair’. You are but one side of a coin, useless.”  _

Merlin’s mind screeched to a halt, and everything seemed to slow as he turned to Arthur and saw the realisation dawn on him. 

Two sides of the same coin. 

Arthur stepped towards the rift till they were shoulder to shoulder. “Together.” he said, and knelt before the rift. Merlin smiled, though it probably looked more like a grimace. “You know the words?”

Arthur huffed. “Of course, I’m not an idiot.”, and turned grimly to the void rippling before them. He lifted Excalibur, and held it before him, point planted in the hard ground. 

“Debatable.” Merlin couldn’t help mumble out of force of habit as he placed a hand on Arthur’s shoulder. “Ready?” 

“When you are.” 

The Morrigan was still not-speaking, trying to convey something that didn’t quite sink in anymore. Merlin thought she sounded a little worried.

He let the power flow, directing it to the palm that was their only point of contact. Merlin suckled in his breath as he felt it, and Arthur himself grit his teeth. Arthur was warm under his fingers, thawing the iciness, purging the disease that turned Magic so bitter and black. Like spring after a bitter winter. 

The warmth steadily crept up Merlin’s own hand, and the black turned gold once more till Magic once more buzzed and flowed through them both. He knelt down beside Arthur, not removing the hand for even a moment. The golden glow seemed to seep from Arthur’s skin, and danced around them. 

And they said the words together. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically, Arthur is like a air filter but for magic.


	22. Chapter 22

“ **_Tôhlystan to ðe I ðêana êaðmôdian. êow mæðelcwide wæccan twêgen nu later._ ** ”

The words felt heavy even as they were spoken, and every bit of the massive power between them strained to burst through into the abyss. The Goddess’ enraged yell was barely audible through the rushing in his ears, barely felt over the absolute sense of  _ rightness _ . Something seemed to slot together perfectly, as it was meant to be. Arthur had never sensed such power before. Was this what Merlin felt like all the time?

Merlin’s eyes were glowing brighter than he’d ever seen. So were his own, presumably. The runes engraved onto Excalibur’s blade also glowed molten and sizzled. They said the incantation over and over and more of the Magic - no longer black- poured out till every trace of red vanished from the rift before them, till it was blue-black emptiness once more. 

They stopped as they had begun, in unison. Arthur’s whole frame felt wobbly, like he’d trained and done drills for a whole week non-stop. He leaned on his sword, the words etched on still faintly glowing. Merlin let go of his shoulder and Arthur turned to see him drop to the floor once again, dangerously close to the Rift. 

“Merlin!” With a truly mammoth effort, Arthur lunged forward and caught him, dagging both of them further away from that monstrosity. Every time he looked at it, the image of Lancelot walking in flashed through his mind. He wasn’t losing anyone to this again. 

Arthur laughed weakly from the floor. “We should try sacrificing a chicken and see if that closes it.” Arthur said, laughing again as giddy relief filled him. They had done it, though how they managed to despite all the mishaps was a total mystery. 

But Merlin didn’t laugh. Or say anything. Or move. 

Forcing himself to sit up, he looked over to Merlin. He was wan and pale, a sheen of sweat over his face. The blood from Morgause’s manhandling was in stark contrast with his skin, and Arthur’s relief slipped away as Merlin stared at him, eyes wide and confused. 

“Merlin.” Arthur dragged himself over him, heart thumping madly in his chest. That vacant gaze followed him. “What is it? What’s-” 

A cry of rage sounded from behind them, and seemed to startle Merlin into motion. They turned, and Arthur’s blood went cold as he saw Morgause.

*****

Morgause stumbled back, eyes wide and glaring at something behind Gwen. She strained as if to move forward, but something held her back. Had been for a while, Gwen realised. She turned to see Nina standing on the other side of the Altar, eyes glowing, jaw clenched with effort, and…

...and bleeding from a deep gash on her side. Even as they watched, her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she collapsed.

Gwen had no time to even wonder when she was wounded as Morgause dashed towards the Rift with a furious cry, weapon drawn and ready. Towards Merlin and Arthur, who struggled to even move. 

Adrenaline pumped through Gwen as she rushed between them and Morgause. The force of Morgause’s blow jolted through her throbbing arm as she blocked it. Gritting her teeth, Gwen stood her ground. 

Morgause was fast and skilled, and Gwen was still aching all over from being blown back just minutes ago. Though sheer impulse and rage fueled Morgause’s attack, she was in better shape at the moment. 

From behind Morgause, muffled groans sounded. Morgana was trying to move, to help somehow, but in vain. She had crashed full-force into a wall of stone, and was hurt way worse than Gwen herself. 

Morgause had done this. 

Gwen stood her ground. Nothing was taking Arthur or Merlin or Morgana from her again.

As Morgause, every inch burning with rage, lunged once more, Gwen stepped aside to dodge the blow. That was all it took, just a tiny moment of distraction as she stumbled over the edge of the Altar. As the blade skittered out of Gwen’s grip and the sword descended upon her, Arthur cried out. 

And the blade stopped. Gwen felt the sting as Morgause settled the point of it in the dip of Gwen’s throat, pressing till it breached her skin just enough to draw blood. 

“How does it feel, Arthur Pendragon?” she panted breathlessly, eyes still on Gwen. “I have lost everything, thanks to you. And now, so will you.”

From the corner of her eye, Gwen could see Merlin struggling to use his magic. Arthur had managed to get to his feet with support from Excalibur and tried to move, but fell to his knees once more. They were drained after the spell. 

“Let her go!” Arthur’s voice shook with emotion. “I warn you-”

“Warn?” Morgause snarled. “How thick-headed are you? Plead and crawl and beg for mercy, you still won’t get any. I will enjoy your pleas as I take those you love and rip them apart, piece by piece till-” 

Gwen used the distraction to mutter a handy little spell Merlin had shown her ages ago. As Morgause’s blade threw itself away, Gwen kneed her in the gut as hard as she could. As the breath knocked out of Morgause and she stumbled away, Gwen reached for the blade that had clattered a few feet away, when came the wet, awful noise of a blade sinking into flesh. 

Sometime, somehow during the chaos, Morgana had found her blade and moved behind Morgause. Her mind flew into utter panic as she saw Morgana drive her dragon blade into Morgause, from the shadows around the rift . 

Morgana pulled the sword out, and Morgause fell to her knees.

Grief was on her every feature as she looked up to Morgana. “You- sister, why?” she asked, and despite everything, Gwen’s chest tightened. Morgana, one hand held to her side and hunched over with pain, didn’t let go of her blade, but stared down with a weary sadness. 

“It is over. You won’t hurt anyone anymore.” It sounded like a command. 

Within a moment, the grief turned into furious determination and Morgause choked out, “Neither will you.” 

Gwen knew what would happen a split second before it did. Morgause’s fingers closed around Morgana’s hands, tugging with the last of her strength. Everything seemed to slow as Gwen leapt forward to catch Morgana before both of them tumbled into the abyss behind them.

“Morgana!” 

Her heart stopped as she realised she was too far away. 

  
  


****

Ordinarily, Morgana could have stepped away fast enough or even taken the tackle without stumbling, but her weakened condition caused her to fall. 

They fell straight into the rift. Morgause’s grip slackened as she fell in, swallowed by the emptiness. The light left her eyes even as she vanished into nothingness.

It was only when she felt the arms around her, holding her as she trembled, that Morgana realised she wasn’t falling as well. The ground she was sat on was grey stone, and the person holding her was solid. Though her vision was blurred, she could make out Merlin’s dark hair and lanky frame. “What..”

“I got you. You’re fine.” He barely managed to mutter. Someone else approached, and took her from him. Gwen held her close, and Arthur managed to walk over shakily. No one said anything for a long moment. The rush of fire died down as the dorocha vanished, and heavy silence filled the place. 

Gwen’s hand suddenly stilled on her back as they heard a soft whimper. “Nina!” 

“She’s bleeding a lot.” A new, shaky voice came from the other side of the room. Jude stood up, lifting Nina. “We need help.” 

Everyone staggered up, and Gwen let Merlin take her support as they hobbled out, Jude and Nina in tow. Morgana turned to Arthur, who looked after them worriedly. 

“She’ll be fine. Gaius is very good at his work.” 

“He has a lot of people to help after this.” Arthur mumbled and turned to her, scanning her bruised and scratched face for a long moment. “Are you alri-”

“No.” she stared down at her sword, stained red with blood. Felt the strangely unsettling relief that it was all over. And then back to Arthur, who still looked so wobbly he could probably get knocked down with a feather. “But I think I will be.”

He smiled back wanly. “Good to hear.” After a moment of hesitation, he added, “I’m sorry about Morga-”

“Arthur. don’t-”

“Just, listen. This isn’t _ pity. _ I’m sorry it had to come to this.” 

“As am I.”

They sat silently, too tired to even begin to move. There were voices outside, so someone would come for them soon enough. Hopefully. “I really didn’t expect everyone to not die tonight, you know.” 

Arthur rose a brow, and she rolled her eyes. “I hoped we would, just that it wasn’t a very likely possibility.”

“Considering that all of us are at least half dead, we didn’t quite achieve that.” 

“Unlike your sense of humour, which is not only dead but also decomposed.” Gwaine cheerfully announced as he jogged in, Leon and Lancelot following after him. Arthur must’ve been really drained, because he didn’t bother to reply with anything more than a resigned sigh. 

The knights came over, and Leon picked up the two swords as Gwaine took Arthur’s weight. Morgana winced as Lancelot helped her up, and gladly used him as support. It was strange how different this room was just minutes ago with a primordial looming presence and the undead and rifts, looming and imposing. But now it looked like any other old ruin: damp and large but nothing to dread. 

The fact that everyone was more-or-less fine had Gwaine in the most cheerful of moods. 

“Look at me, The Knight in Shining armour saving the Princess.” 

“Leon, take me.” Arthur said flatly, though Leon just bit back a smile. Morgana couldn’t help her weak smile as they slowly walked out. 

“Where are Gwen and Merlin?” Morgana glanced about, but didn’t glean much from the dark, moonless night. 

“Aithusa took them already.” Leon supplied as Buttercup sailed down and landed before them. As he did, Gwaine shook his head. “I still don’t get how Nina ended up here, Percival’s still tearing his metaphorical hair out about that.” 

Arthur shot a baleful look to Buttercup, who sheepishly bowed his head. “Buttercup let her sneak a ride in his paw. Me and Gwen didn’t realise till we were here.” 

“I’m sorry, but she was very convincing.” Buttercup mumbled whiningly; Morgana hadn’t realised full-grown dragons could even do that. 

“I’m still very disappointed.” Arthur firmly replied, sounding appropriately disappointed. Well, Gwen did rub off quite a bit on him, apparently. 

The poor dragon drooped visibly, and bent to help them mount. How they ever managed to get on his back will be an eternal mystery, but a few minutes later she was in the air between Arthur and Lancelot, who was probably there to make sure they didn’t slide right off. Soon enough, they were back at their usual Dragon landing spot. 

Once again, Lancelot helped Morgana dismount without falling and trudge to the cottage. Meg was waiting as they landed, and Arthur, who seemed to slowly be recovering, settled on simply accepting her arm to lean on as he wobbled along. Morgana didn’t miss the little pat and ‘thank you’ Arthur gave to Buttercup before he soared off to his duties once again. 

“Nice to see you making friends.” she mumbled to him, and Arthur scoffed. 

“I’m just........adapting to circumstances.” 

“Right.” 

“Anyone hurt badly?” Lance asked Meg, and a frown turned their mouth. “Far as I can tell, nothing worse than a lightly stabbed druid kid. Gaius is with her.” They added, and Morgana’s heart eased a little. “She’ll do fine, I think. All the Harbingers have been taken to the druid quarters and held there till they decided what was to be done with them.”

They hobbled in silence for a bit, till Meg broke it. “Magic may not be taboo anymore, but there are still a lot of things that need work. Most people dismiss these problems as that of the past. And many more suffer  _ because _ of the dismissal.” They sighed. “Those Harbingers were mostly young, angry kids who got brainwashed. Gullible, and heart filled with bad experiences.”

“It doesn't sound right to sentence them, or whatever is done these days.” Lancelot said softly.

“They need help and guidance. Things have to change in this world.” As Meg spoke, Arthur looked towards Morgana. “The druids try, but…. its not enough. We have a lot of work to do.” 

As they trudged back, Morgana thought of Morgause. And herself, and Mordred, and Nimueh. And so, so many others. All, despite whatever their actions were, victims of baseless bias. These kids Meg spoke of, were they any different? 

Maybe having a talk with Shreya after things settled down a bit was not a bad idea.

They reached the cottage, and Meg promptly led Arthur to a room to lie down till he stopped shaking like a leaf. The druids were at the Headquarters, except for Nina and Jude, who were still here as Gaius tended to her wounds. If she weren’t a bag of aching parts, Morgana would have comforted the bewildered looking boy. Elyan was awkwardly keeping him company for now. 

Morgana gladly took to the bed Lancelot led her to, and only in the proper light inside she saw the bruises and scrapes on the Knight. They all had actually fought tonight, she remembered. Just as she lay down, Gwen bustled in, equipped with bandages and bottles of what was presumably draughts and ointment. 

“You almost got skewered, Gwen. Surely someone else can patch me up.” Morgana protested, and Lance held out a hand, offering to take over. But Gwen waved them away, firmly settling at her side. “Look, I’m fine.” she said, pointing to a thing -band aid, Merlin had called it yesterday- plastered on her throat, as if that made everything okay. Before Morgana could protest further, she turned to Lancelot. “Go get those scrapes taken care of, I’m  _ fine. _ ” 

Unable to disobey the firm tone, Lancelot reluctantly sidled out of the room without another word.

“Is Merlin alright?”

“He’s not said anything,” Gwen replied, voice still slightly hoarse as she bandaged the gash along Morgana’s arm. “but I know something’s wrong. I think...” Gwen stopped, and her face screwed up as she looked properly at Morgana. “I think something happened with his magic. I can feel something’s changed.” 

Morgana blinked, and floundered for a moment as Gwen resumed her ministrations. “Maybe he’s just exhausted.” Morgana offered, and Gwen bit her lip. “Maybe.”

Morgana didn't argue, and silently accepted the sleeping draughts Gwen handed her after she was done. Maybe a good night’s sleep was what they all needed.

****

Merlin didn’t bother to knock as he walked into Arthur’s room. He was slumped heavily against the bedrest, and someone had covered the cuts and scrapes on him with smiley bandaids. Merlin walked over, sitting opposite Arthur. 

“How are you?” 

Arthur didn’t reply. Though he looked exhausted to the bone, he refused to drop off. He looked at Merlin, eyes scanning his face as though searching for something. Without warning, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

Merlin’s laugh sounded forced to his own ears. “Nothing! Why do you ask?”

Arthur’s grim face didn’t change. “Don’t lie to me, Merlin. I know you.”

Speaking was tiring enough, let alone lying successfully. Merlin shook his head, and glanced down at his hands, folded in his lap. “It’s....fine. We can talk later. You need to re-”

“If one more person tells me I need rest, I will.....I don’t know.” Arthur exhaled forcefully, and turned on his wide-eyed, pleading face. “Merlin, I can see something is very wrong. I only want to help.” 

Damn his beseeching puppy-eyes. 

“My magic. It’s gone.” 

There. He’d said it. Arthur’s eyes went even wider. “What do you mean it’s gone?” Realising he was yelling, Arthur shook his head. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to shout. I.....I’m sorry Merlin.” 

“It’s not so bad really.” Merlin made the glass of water on the bedside table float over, and picked it out of the air. “I still have quite a bit. But not all of it.”

“Oh.” Arthur blinked, looking unsure of what to do. Merlin handed him the glass, and stood up. “Drink up, and sleep. We’ll talk later.” 

This time he listened, and fell asleep the moment his head touched the pillow. No wonder, considering his first substantial spell was one to bind the bloody gods. It’s a miracle he didn’t pass out right away.

Merlin found Lance and Meg in the living room, along with Percival and Elyan who had a couple flowery bandaids plastered to their face and hands. Percival beamed. “Merlin! You alright?” 

“Fine.” He told it to his heart as well, but it refused to be convinced. Fortunately, everyone seemed too worn-out by the last few hours to notice he was lying, and to be fair he’d gotten quite good at it with experience. “How’s Morgana, and Nina?” 

“Resting.” Meg said. “Nina’s patched up, she didn’t lose too much blood. Morgana’s mostly bruised, maybe a little concussed. Gwen’s with her. And no one else with more than a scrape or two.”

Merlin’s heart eased, just a little bit. They continued their conversation, but he didn’t wait to listen and headed off to Gwen. She was tending to a wound on her own leg as Morgana slept. 

“You should’ve got that looked at as soon as we came back.” He scolded, and let that distract him as healed her in a blink. The skin stitched back together in a moment. 

“Merlin.” 

He didn’t look her in the eye. He knew that tone, the worry and compassion he’d find in her eyes. He couldn’t lie to her, so he did the next best thing. “You’re all done. Everyone’s fine. Nina’s fine. Your derp of a husband is snoring away to glory in the other bedroom.” 

The light tone failed to distract. “ _ Merlin. _ ”

Oh,  _ hell _ . Merlin gave in and looked up at Gwen. His heart ached worse. 

“What’s wrong? What happened?” She asked, her palm warm against his cheek. His breath came shudderingly. 

“Some of my magic’s gone. With the Morrigan.”

“And?” 

“I….I don’t think I’m immortal anymore.”

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :(
> 
> This chapter is the end of the main plot. But, please stick around, the is one more final chapter to wrap things up with our favs!!
> 
> As always, yell at me in the comments ;D


	23. Chapter 23

Aithusa was stretched out under the still dark sky, getting a well earned rest on the bank of Avalon. As Merlin came and sat down against her, she didn’t bother moving any more than a wing, which got draped over him like a big, leathery blanket. 

Gwen hadn’t pressed him for details. She didn’t ask where he was going or try to stop him when he left the cottage. He had left the others there, to rest and celebrate, to catch up with old friends, make new ones, to be happy. He would’ve stayed if he could, but his heart was raw.

He knew loss. What it was to remain while so much you loved faded or withered or vanished. How it was to live so long with it that the loss became a part of you. Not all of you, but an integral piece without which you weren’t  _ you _ . A piece that might engulf all others, were it not for those few things that stayed.

Aithusa stayed. Freya stayed. And for them, Merlin stayed. 

How could he leave them? Leave this wearying yet wonderful world so full of things that he was still learning? One may expect after so long in the same world, he’d grow tired of it , but no. He’d just had more time to explore and know and learn than most, and hence had fallen more in love with it than most. 

The grass crunched as Aithusa moved, curling around him till her entirely too large head was in his lap. She was never entirely still or quiet. Even when relaxed, there was the huff of breathing, a sight, the ground shifting as she constantly fidgeted even in the most restful situation. She was only quiet when she sneaked about. But now her eyes were shut, and even her breathing was so silent he only felt it because of how close they were. He ran his palm over her snout, and it came away damp.

She knew. Of course she knew. Was it only now, or had she felt it as it happened and stayed strong till everyone was home safe? Knowing her, probably the latter. 

_ I’m sorry.  _ He wanted to tell her.  _ I promised I’d always be here. I’m sorry.  _ But the words wouldn’t come. His chest and throat felt constricted, choked with the sob that he was keeping at bay. 

“I know, Merlin.” She rumbled, voice so very quiet and low. “It’s alright.”

The sob didn’t stay stifled this time. Leaning forward till he felt her tough scales on his brow, Merlin wrapped his arms around her neck and held on, each trying to find solace in the other as they had for so long, trying to make up for another fifteen hundred years without each other. 

A light touch pressed his shoulder. Freya crouched before Dragon and Dragonlord, and her palm was cool as always on his cheek. Aithusa, being a staunch believer in the philosophy of hugging-the-sad-away, shifted to encircle the new addition as tightly as she could without constricting them.

Merlin went easily as Freya pulled him into her embrace, and tried to let her cool calm soothe his soul. Would he go back to Avalon after...after death? Or would he have to say goodbye for good? 

They sat there in silence as the birds tittered in the trees, as the dark gave way and the sun dawned. A new day, warm and bright despite being on the brink of extinction just hours ago. It was only when another shape emerged through the trees. Arthur. If he was up and about, Merlin must’ve been here for hours by now. 

Arthur paused at the sight of Freya, eyes wide and wary. 

“Hello, Arthur.”, she greeted him with a smile. 

Arthur sat down, on Merlin’s other side and said, “Do not put me to sleep once again.”

“That was Avalon, not me.” Freya pointed out, and Arthur shook his head with a sigh. “Magic is not something I can ever claim to understand. Speaking of,” he turned to Merlin properly, and his eyes betrayed worry despite the chipper voice. “How are you?”

Merlin sighed. “Gwen told you?”

Arthur opened his mouth to deny, but then thought better of it. “Yes. And..”

“And?”

“The others know too.” he mumbled with a wince.

Merlin’s stomach dropped like a rock. “What!?”

“Gwen told me and Morgana, Lancelot overheard us and told Percival, who let it slip to Elyan. Then Elyan told Leon and Gwaine who told Gaius.”

For Gods’ sake, they were like a bunch of 8th graders.

“Come on, Merlin.” Arthur said, smiling. “We couldn’t possibly celebrate without  _ you _ .”

One by one, they turned up over the next hour or so - even Morgana, who was now mostly better for her magic and came on Gwen’s arm - till Avalon’s bank was packed with one Dragon, one Lady of the Lake, and a handful of totally mortal people.

One day, he would lose them again. Watch them die and return to Avalon. This time, he wouldn’t have to wait long to join them.

But not today. 

“Say,” Percival mused out loud, sat beside Gwaine who was busily devouring yet another apple. “What do we do, now that we’ve accomplished our quest?”

The clouds of sadness shifted suddenly. That…..was not something Merlin had thought of. Maybe he was not quite as foresighted as he’d thought himself. 

“I’m going to read those books in the front room. One of them has my name in the title, though it’s spelled wrong.” Gwaine said around a mouthful of apple, and Merlin stifled the snort of laughter that rose unbidden. 

“You read?” Elyan feigned bewilderment, and got a punch on the arm from Gwen. 

Gaius, staring off to the horizon, said, “There is much I would like to learn of this new world and how it came to be.” Leon nodded sagely in agreement, while Morgana frowned. “We have to learn  _ and _ work. We can’t all live off of Merlin forever.”

All heads turned to Merlin. What was he supposed to say? Freya’s eyes, dancing with amusement, met his and Merlin knew this was going to be an interesting few years. 

“Well, you guys will have to start from school...”

  
  
  


****

Merling woke to the sun shining bright and warm, right on his face. Which was very confusing, because the last thing he remembered was going to sleep under a mountain of blankets and a spell to keep warm in the winter night. And whatever he was laying on now was definitely not his bed.

The grass crunched as he sat up, blinking blearily about. He was in a meadow, the sort one might expect to see fluffy sheep and cute, shaggy cows grazing in in a dairy commercial. This was far from the worst place he’d ever woken up in, so he wasn’t really bothered. 

That was, till he noticed his back wasn’t aching. 

Merlin scrambled to his feet, not a single join creaking. That couldn’t be true. As far as he could see, his hair was black once again and skin much less wrinkly than it was last night.

“Hi.”

He whirled around at the familiar voice. “Freya! What-”

She smiled, a little sad smile. “Welcome to Avalon.”

His stomach dropped like a rock. “Oh _. _ ”

Freya grimaced, and rubbed circles on his back as he processed the implications of that. He knew it, but it felt right to ask. “I died?”

Freya sighed. “In your sleep. Arthur found you.”

A lump lodged itself firmly in his throat. Arthur, Morgana, Elyan and Leon were the only ones left now. Each death had hit them all hard. A stupid sense of guilt came over Merlin for leaving them. 

“Don’t worry, Merlin.” Freya prodded him in the shoulder. “They’ll be fine. You’ll meet them anyway, sooner or later. Hopefully later.” She added hastily, and Merlin sighed. They had their lives outside each other now. Arthur and Morgana worked in association with the Druids new program for non-profit awareness of and assistance for magic-wielding populations. Leon was the curator of ye local museum (which had what Gwaine used to swear was a set of armour that he’d owned back in the 5th century) and Elyan had his own little forge. Lancelot - to everyone’s surprise except Gwen and Merlin’s - ended up co-owning and running the most awesome book cafe in town with Meg and Percival. Gwaine -to everyone’s horror- had ended up one of the world’s foremost experts on Arthurian legend, which was ridiculous because he made zero attempts to set the record straight. Gwen and Percival had been teachers in the local school, working with little kids who adored them forever. 

A lot happened in 40 years. 

Freya linked their hands together, and tugged him out of the swimming thoughts. “Well, you’re here now. Let’s take you home.” 

“Home?” He followed her gaze and his magic- still present- jumped up at the sight of far- away turrets. For a moment he thought it was Camelot, but no. These towers were darker, taller and somehow, more……. Magic. Was that where the others - Gwen, Gaius, Lance, the rest- were?

Freya sensed his questions immediately. “They’re there. You’ll see, dear Merlin, that the Sidhe have a whole different world here. And now we are all a part of it.”

A world of Magic, worlds apart from the one he had just left behind. His friends still here, bound by Destiny. Somehow, this felt like a beginning more than the end.

He turned to Freya, a slow smile steadily creeping its way onto his face. 

“Lead on.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!!!!!  
> For everyone who actually stuck around and read till here : THANK YOU!!!!! :D
> 
> Also, this is probably not the end of the series. If I do have time, I fully intend to write a whole bunch of oneshots set in the 40 years between!!! (maybe even one set in Avalon once they're all there; the sidhe are woefully unexplored in canon!!)
> 
> But it's all depending on how busy my courses will get over the next few months, so unfortunately, I make no promises :(
> 
> Love y'all!!! Feel free to yell at me in the comments (or leave any ideas/ prompts for the aforementioned oneshots!!)


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